Prabhsimran Singh Powers Punjab Into Vijay Hazare Trophy Semifinals With Dominant Win
Prabhsimran Singh leads Punjab to a crushing 183-run win over Madhya Pradesh, booking a Vijay Hazare Trophy semifinal clash with Saurashtra.
Punjab delivered one of the most emphatic performances of the 2025–26 Vijay Hazare Trophy, dismantling Madhya Pradesh by 183 runs to storm into the semifinals.
Led by commanding batting displays from Prabhsimran Singh and Anmolpreet Singh, and backed by a ruthless bowling effort, Punjab posted their largest-ever victory margin in terms of runs in the competition.
Punjab Batters Set an Unreachable Target
After winning the toss, Punjab built their innings with composure and depth, finishing on 345 for 6 — a total that proved far beyond Madhya Pradesh’s reach.
Prabhsimran Singh anchored the innings with a fluent 88, setting the tempo at the top. He was well supported by Harnoor Singh, with the opening pair adding 116 runs for the first wicket to lay a rock-solid foundation.
From there, Punjab kept accelerating:
• Anmolpreet Singh struck a composed 70
• Nehal Wadhera added late momentum with 56 off 38 balls
• Ramandeep Singh chipped in with an unbeaten 24 off 15
The batting display combined stability with power, ensuring no let-up across the innings.
Bowlers Tear Through Madhya Pradesh Lineup
In response, Madhya Pradesh never recovered from early damage.
Reduced to 66 for 5, the chase was effectively over inside the first half. Rajat Patidar attempted resistance with a top score of 38, but once he fell, the collapse resumed. Madhya Pradesh were eventually bowled out for 162 in 31.2 overs.
Punjab’s bowling unit operated with pace, discipline, and aggression.
Gurnoor Brar’s Pace Sets the Tone
Among the bowlers, Gurnoor Brar delivered a standout spell.
Clocking speeds above 140 kmph, Brar extracted bounce and movement with hard lengths, conceding just 25 runs off his first five overs and claiming two wickets. His performance unsettled Madhya Pradesh’s top order and set the tone for the collapse.
However, Punjab may have a concern moving forward. Brar left the field after bowling just 6.2 overs due to discomfort and did not return, putting his fitness under scrutiny ahead of the semifinals.
Sanvir Singh Strikes at the Heart of the Order
Allrounder Sanvir Singh played a decisive role with the ball, finishing with three wickets.
His most impactful over saw him remove Shubham Sharma and Venkatesh Iyer in quick succession. Sharma edged a swinging delivery to slip, while Iyer was trapped leg-before for a two-ball duck by a sharp inswinger.
The middle-order collapse ensured Madhya Pradesh never threatened Punjab’s total.
Punjab to Face Saurashtra in Semifinal
With the win, Punjab advance to the Vijay Hazare Trophy semifinals, where they will meet Saurashtra on January 16.
Punjab enter the knockout clash with momentum, confidence, and one of the most balanced squads remaining in the tournament.
Vidarbha Also Book Semifinal Spot
In the day’s other quarterfinal, Vidarbha defeated Delhi by 76 runs, powered by Yash Rathod’s timely return to form.
Rathod top-scored with 86 off 73 balls, guiding Vidarbha to 300 for 9 before their bowlers restricted Delhi to 224. Vidarbha will face defending champions Karnataka in the first semifinal.
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