Hardik Pandya mania force last minute venue change in SMAT, organisers fear crowd to get out of control

Hardik Pandya mania force last minute venue change in SMAT (AP Photo)

Unanticipated fan frenzy surrounding India's star all-rounder Hardik Pandya saw the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy meeting between Baroda and Gujarat get relocated from the nondescript Gymkhana Ground to the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Thursday. The match, which Baroda won by eight wickets, was moved due to an unexpected crowd interest and security concerns in Hardik's presence.

The attendance was far higher than what is often witnessed for a domestic T20 match, according to officials, particularly in the vicinity of the team hotel, practice area, and ticket booths. The organizers expected interest, but not at this level. A top official clarified that the decision to shift the game was made to "ensure safety and smooth operations" after observing the situation.

"Fan turnout, enquiries, and crowd movement exceeded our projections by a huge margin. To ensure safety and smooth match operations, we decided to shift the match to Rajiv Gandhi Stadium," a senior organising official told PTI.

Meanwhile, this was Hardik's second match since returning to action after a two-month injury hiatus, which he sustained post the semifinals at Asia Cup 2025. Hardik bowled his full quota of overs in which he claimed a wicket and conceded just 16 runs. His teammate medium pacer Raj Limbani did most of the damage, registering three scalps for five runs in the 2.1 overs he bowled. The efforts by Baroda bowlers saw Gujarat dwindle for 73 in 14.1 overs. Baroda in response chased down the paltry target in 6.4 overs and won the match by eight wickets. Hardik batting at No. 3 struck two boundaries but was dismissed for 10 off 6 balls by Ravi Bishnoi.

In the previous match against Punjab, which was played on Tuesday, Pandya was named Player of the Match. The high-scoring encounter saw Punjab post a staggering 222/8 in 20 overs. Hardik had then conceded 52 runs and picked a wicket in four overs, which was the most among his teammates. Limbani had then returned with three scalps and conceded 36 runs from his four overs. After a disappointing show with the ball, Hardik made quick amends when it was his turn to bat as Baroda won the match by seven wickets. He struck an unbeaten 77 off 42 balls as Baroda chased down 223 with five balls to spare.

Hardik will be making a return to India colours in the upcoming five-match T20I series against South Africa beginning on December 9. With the T20 World Cup fast approaching, selectors will be hopeful for his swift return to full rhythm. India's white-ball aspirations still depend heavily on a completely fit Hardik, and these domestic and international encounters leading up to the showpiece event will help him with best preparations.