Deepak Hooda and Yusuf Pathan smashed half-centuries each to power Baroda to a comfortable seven-wicket win over Maharashtra in a West Zone leg match of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, here today.
Hooda struck a run-a-ball 88 that included six boundaries and five sixes while Pathan scored an unbeaten 82 off 93 deliveries as the duo shared 104 runs for the third wicket to lay the foundation for Baroda's easy win.
Earlier opting to bat, Ankit Bawane hit an unbeaten 102 off 127 deliveries before Maharashtra were bowled out for 243.
Bawne single-handedly took Maharashtra near the 250-mark and in the process hit six fours and three hits over the fence.
Apart from Bawne, skipper Rohit Motwani scored 40 off 55 balls, while opener Harshad Khadiwale managed 22 off 26 deliveries.
For Baroda, Pathan (2/27), Hooda (2/42) and Krunal Pandya (2/57) shared six wickets between them.
Later chasing 244 for win, Baroda did not have the best of starts as they lost opener Aditya Waghmode (6) in the third over.
But Saurabh Wakaskar (42) and Hooda then steadied Baroda's chase with a 64-run second wicket stand before Hooda combined with Pathan to assert their authority in the match.
Hooda was unlucky to miss out a well-deserved ton as he fell 12 runs short of the three-figure mark, caught by Nikhil Naik off off-spinner Shamshuzama Mujtaba Kazi in the 32nd over.
Pathan and Pandya ensured no further damage for Baroda as they added 67 unconquered runs for the fourth wicket to overwhelm the target in 45.5 overs.
Brief Scores:
Maharashtra: 243 all out in 49.4 overs (Ankit Bawne 102, Rohit Motwani 40; Yusuf Pathan 2/27).
Baroda: 244 for three in 45.5 overs (Deepak Hooda 88, Yusuf Pathan 82 not out; Nikhil Paradkar 1/35).
