A massive surge of fans eager to watch Hardik Pandya in action prompted organisers to shift Baroda’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy clash against Gujarat from the modest Gymkhana Ground to the more secure Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Thursday.
Baroda went on to win the match by eight wickets, but the buzz around Pandya was the day’s biggest talking point.
The all-rounder, playing only his second competitive match since returning from a two-month injury layoff, drew unexpected crowds around the team hotel, practice venues, and ticket counters, far more than a domestic game usually attracts. With fan movement intensifying, officials opted for a venue upgrade to ensure safety and smooth execution of the match.
"Fan turnout, enquiries, and crowd movement exceeded our projections by a huge margin. For security and operational ease, we moved the game to Rajiv Gandhi Stadium," a senior organiser confirmed.
Pandya, who hammered an unbeaten 77 against Punjab earlier, managed 10 runs and picked up a wicket this time out. He is now set to feature in India's five-match T20I series against South Africa starting December 9 in Cuttack.
(By PTI Inputs)
