NEW DELHI: India all-rounder Hardik Pandya made a spectacular return to competitive cricket after a two-month break, smashing an unbeaten 77 to guide Baroda to a comfortable seven-wicket victory over Punjab in a Group C Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy clash in Hyderabad on Tuesday.

Pandya's 42-ball masterclass, which included seven fours and four sixes, helped Baroda chase down Punjab's challenging total of 222 for eight in 20 overs. Punjab's innings had been anchored by India opener Abhishek Sharma, who scored a rapid 50 off just 19 balls.

Baroda reached 224 for three in 19.1 overs, with Pandya's blistering knock proving decisive. This marked the 32-year-old's first competitive match since featuring against Sri Lanka in an Asia Cup Super Fours game in Dubai on September 26.

Since then, Pandya had been sidelined with a left quadriceps injury and was undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. On Tuesday, however, he returned to full action-batting freely, bowling four overs for 52 runs, and claiming the wicket of Anmolpreet Singh.

Pandya's smooth outing might have come as a shot in the arm for national selectors who will be picking up India's squad for the upcoming T20I series against South Africa.

In fact, Hardik gave a typical finish to the match, smashing left-arm pacer Ashwani Kumar for two sixes and then meeting out the same treatment to strapping pacer Gurnoor Brar as Baroda bagged four crucial points.

Right now, Baroda are placed third on the table with eight points behind leaders Gujarat (12 points) and Punjab (8 points, but superior net run rate of 2.27 against Baroda's -0.08).

Pandya also got support from Vishnu Solanki (41 off 21 balls), Shashwat Rawat (31, 18 balls) and Shivalik Sharma, who made 47 off 31 balls before getting retired hurt.

Earlier, Punjab rode on Abhishek's whirlwind fifty that contained five fours and four sixes and Anmolpreet's equally flashing 69 off 32 balls (7x4, 4x6) to raise a total in excess of 200.

For Baroda, India under-19 pacer Raj Limbani took three for 36 in four overs.

Brief scores:

Punjab: 222/8 in 20 overs (Abhishek Sharma 50, Anmolpreet Singh 69; Raj Limbani 3/36) lost to Baroda: 224/3 in 19.1 overs (Hardik Pandya 77 not out, Shivalik Sharma 47 retired hurt, Shashwat Kumar 31, Vishnu Solanki 43) by 7 wickets.

Pondicherry: 83 all out in 13.1 overs (JK Bhatt 3/17, Ravi Bishnoi 3/13, Arzan Nagwaswalla 2/22) lost to Gujarat: 84/1 in 9 overs (Aarya Desai 53 not out) by 9 wickets.