Maharashtra vs Himachal Pradesh,Round 4, Group B,Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25,2024-12-28 03:30 GMT

Maharashtra vs Himachal Pradesh Preview

Match Details

• Date: December 28, 2024
• Time: 03:30 GMT
• Venue: Dr DY Patil University Ground, Mumbai

Team Previews

Maharashtra

Maharashtra has been on a roll in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, with three consecutive wins and no losses so far. They are led by the in-form captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, who has been dismissed only once in the tournament and averages an impressive 149. Other key players for Maharashtra include Siddhesh Veer, Ankit Bawne, and Om Bhosale. In the bowling department, Rajneesh Gurbani and Satyajeet Bachhav have been the standout performers, taking 7 wickets each.

Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh, on the other hand, started the tournament with two wins but suffered a 2-wicket loss to Rajasthan in their last match. They will be looking to bounce back with a win against Maharashtra. Ankit Kalsi has been their top batsman, with 211 runs in 3 innings at an average of 70.33. Prashant Chopra and Rishi Dhawan have also made significant contributions with the bat. Apporav Walia has been their most successful bowler, taking 7 wickets in 3 innings.

Pitch Report

The pitch at the Dr DY Patil University Ground in Mumbai is expected to favor the batsmen, with a true bounce and a high-scoring game on the cards. The average first innings score at this venue is 240, and the team batting first will be eyeing a score of around 280-300.

Toss Prediction

Both matches played at this venue in the Vijay Hazare Trophy have been won by the team batting first. Therefore, it is likely that both captains will opt to bat first after winning the toss.

Prediction

Considering Maharashtra's strong track record against Himachal Pradesh, having won all four previous encounters, and their unbeaten run in the tournament so far, they are the favorites to win this match. With Ruturaj Gaikwad in top form and a strong bowling lineup, Maharashtra has the upper hand going into this encounter.

Predicted Playing XIs

• Maharashtra: Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Om Bhosale, Siddhesh Veer, Ankit Bawne, Rahul Tripathi, Azim Kazi, Nikhil Naik (wk), Satyajeet Bachhav, RS Hangargekar, Rajneesh Gurbani, Pradeep Dadhe
• Himachal Pradesh: Ankit Kalsi, Prashant Chopra, Mani Sharma (wk), Apporav Walia, Rishi Dhawan (c), Digvijay Rangi, Sumeet Verma, Mayank Dagar, Vaibhav Arora, Arpit Guleria, Vinay Galetiya

Weather Forecast

The weather in Mumbai is expected to be clear and pleasant, with plenty of sunshine throughout the day, making it ideal conditions for a cricket match.