The Pandya brothers -- Krunal (left) and Hardik -- will be looking to inspire Baroda when they take on Mumbai in the SMAT semifinals in Bengaluru on Friday.
DH Photo/SK Dinesh
Bengaluru: Some of the stars of Indian cricket assembled in the Garden City this week to give the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy a major impetus, and just when things were beginning to heat up the skies threaten to temper the action down.
Following some exhilarating group-stage play in various parts of the country that saw a few records being smashed and six knockout games in Bengaluru, dangerous Baroda set-up a cracking semifinal against heavyweights Mumbai while Delhi, seeking to regain their lost aura, play rising force Madhya Pradesh in the other last-four contest -- both at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Friday.
Both the contests have the potential to be mouth-watering affairs considering the personnel who will be turning up but the unseasonal downpour on Thursday and forecast of similar weather on Friday could act as a dampener.
Two-time champions Baroda, who were pitted in a difficult Group B that had former champions Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Bengal as well as Saurashtra, have played superb collective cricket to reach the deep end without much fuss.
The presence of Hardik Pandya, one of the most enterprising T20 cricketers in the world, has given them the extra edge they desperately were searching for over the last few years.
Hardik has been brilliant with the bat, scoring 241 runs at a phenomenal strike rate of 199.17, and strong with the ball too, filling in nicely for a few overs every game and picking up five wickets in the process as well.
His brother Krunal Pandya, who will call the Chinnaswamy his home this IPL season after being picked up by Royal Challengers Bengaluru, has been effective too. More significant has been his leadership: maintaining his cool and making the right calls at important times that has resulted in Baroda's smooth progress.
However, the Pandyas know what awaits them on Friday. Mumbai, the 2022 champions, were largely untroubled in the group-stage games but faced a mighty scare against Vidarbha in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.
Vidarbha raked up an imposing 221/6 but Mumbai showed their might as Ajinkya Rahane turned the clock back with a rousing 45-ball 84 and underfire Prithvi Shaw, who has been in the news off late for his lack of discipline, gave another indication of what a talent he is with a cracking 26-ball 49. The openers' onslaught, where they raised 83 runs in just 7 overs, saw Mumbai comfortably scale the target in 19.2 overs.
Mumbai will bring that fire and intensity on Friday but Baroda, backed by a cohesive unit and determined Pandyas, will be looking to douse it.
Semifinal fixtures: Baroda vs Mumbai (11 am), Delhi vs Madhya Pradesh (4:30 pm).