NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli-less Delhi finally tasted defeat in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 as Odisha outplayed them by 79 runs in a Group D clash at Alur on Wednesday.
Chasing 273, Delhi crumbled under pressure and were bowled out for just 193.
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Delhi bowlers restrict Odisha to manageable total
After opting to bowl first, Delhi’s bowlers delivered a disciplined performance and did not allow Odisha to run away with the innings.
Hrithik Shokeen starred with the ball, claiming four wickets and keeping things tight through the middle overs.
Young pacer Prince Yadav impressed as well, picking up two wickets and breaking key partnerships.
Odisha’s batting effort was built on contributions from several players, but skipper Biplab Samantray played the most decisive role.
His well-paced half century provided stability after early wickets and laid the foundation for a total beyond 250, with late runs pushing the score to a competitive 272.
Kohli absence exposes Delhi batting fragility
Early wickets triggered a collapse and despite having several capable batters, Delhi failed to string together meaningful partnerships.
Rishabh Pant’s poor white ball form persisted as he managed only 24 runs. With reports suggesting he could be snubbed for the upcoming New Zealand ODI series, the innings further dented his case.
Harsh Tyagi top scored with 43 off 71 balls, but his slow knock could not shift the momentum. Hrithik Shokeen added a brief cameo with the bat, yet Delhi were eventually dismissed in 42.3 overs.
The defeat drops Delhi to fourth place in Group D. Their next match against Services on January 3 now assumes greater significance as they look to revive their Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign.
