Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26: Virat Kohli's imperious run in white-ball continues as Delhi edge Gujarat to win cliffhanger

Virat Kohli's imperious run in white-ball cricket continued on Friday, December 26, as he scored yet another fifty-plus score to help Delhi edge Gujarat in a cliffhanger by seven runs in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26.

Playing at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) Ground 1, Gujarat skipper Chintan Gaja won the toss and put Delhi into bat to exploit early movement off the surface. Gaja provided the first breakthrough as he dismissed opener Priyansh Arya on the first ball of his spell (seventh ball of the game). 

Arya's wicket brought Virat to the crease, and he added 72 runs for the second wicket to lift Delhi after the early setback. Virat did the bulk of the scoring during the partnership as he wrestled back momentum with his free-flowing strokes.

Rana, at the other end, tried hard but couldn't break the shackles and succumbed to Vishal Jayswal after scoring 10 off 31 balls. Jayswal also removed Nitish Rana (12 off 22 balls) before he could get into his groove. However, Jayswal's most prized scalp came on the penultimate delivery of the 22nd over when he got the former India captain stumped to reduce Delhi to 108/4.

Virat was stumped by Urvil Patel as he got out after scoring 77 off 61 balls, including 13 fours and a six at a strike rate of 126.22. Ayush Badoni also couldn't manage to get a big score against his name as he was outfoxed by Ravi Bishnoi.

However, a 73-run partnership for the sixth wicket between Delhi's captain Rishabh Pant and Harsh Tyagi (40) catapulted the side to 220 before the Jayswal came back to claim his fourth scalp of the game. Pant accumulated 70 off 79 balls, including eight fours and two sixes, as Delhi posted 254/9 in 50 overs.

Gujarat's chase began on a solid note with a 67-run stand for the opening wicket between Urvil (31) and Aarya Desai (57) before Prince Yadav removed Urvil.

Aarya (57 off 77 balls) added another valuable 54-run partnership with Abhishek Desai, but Rana dismissed Aarya on the final ball of the 25th over to change the complexion of the game. Gujarat lost wickets at regular intervals and couldn't come back into the contest.

Saurav Chauhan (49 off 43) showed some character, but Simarjeet Singh removed him in the 42nd over to kill Gujarat's run chase. Gujarat's tail threatened but couldn't wag for long as they got bundled out for 247 in 47.4 overs. Prince was the pick of the Delhi bowlers, finishing with figures of 3/37.

Delhi had beaten Andhra by four wickets in the previous game and will take on Saurashtra in the next match on December 29.