Devdutt Padikkal Shines with Third Century in Vijay Hazare Trophy

Padikkal's Remarkable Performance

Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], December 31: Devdutt Padikkal is showcasing exceptional talent in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT), having scored his third century in the tournament. This achievement places him alongside Mayank Agarwal, both now sharing the title of the joint-third highest century-makers in the history of the competition with 12 centuries each.

Padikkal reached this milestone during a match against Puducherry on Wednesday at the ADSA Railways Cricket Ground in Ahmedabad.

His outstanding performance has resulted in a total of 406 runs across four matches, boasting an impressive average of 101.50, which positions him as a strong candidate for India's ODI team facing New Zealand starting January 11.

Throughout his 32 matches in the VHT, Padikkal has accumulated 2417 runs, maintaining an exceptional average of 92.96 and a strike rate of 94.97.

In the match between Karnataka and Puducherry, Karnataka opted to bat first, setting a formidable score of 363/4. Padikkal contributed significantly with 113 runs off 116 balls, including 10 fours and four sixes. Captain Agarwal also made a notable contribution with 132 runs from 124 balls, while Karun Nair added 62 runs off just 34 balls.

Puducherry's response included solid performances from Neyan Shyam Kangayan, who scored 68 runs off 66 balls, and Jayant Yadav, who added 54 runs off 35 balls. However, they were ultimately dismissed for 296 runs in 50 overs, with Manvanth Kumar L being Karnataka's standout bowler, taking 3 wickets for 52 runs.