The domestic season of Indian cricket is continuing in which Mumbai had won the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy just a few days ago. Now, the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the biggest ODI tournament of domestic cricket, will start on December 21, in which a total of 135 matches including the final will be played.

38 teams will be divided into 5 groups

In the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 season, a total of 38 teams are participating, which are divided into 5 groups. The teams included in all the groups will play once against the other teams of their group, while after the end of the group stage matches, there will be quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final matches which will be played on January 18.

The five group winners and the best-performing runner-up will directly qualify for the quarter-final stage, while the four other runners-up play in the preliminary quarter-finals for the last two quarter-final spots.

This time the matches will be played in 6 cities, which include Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Jaipur.

Also Read: Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25: Bengal name squad with Mohammed Shami and Mukesh Kumar; Gharami to lead

Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 | Groups & Teams

• Group A: Odisha, Jharkhand, Goa, Assam, Haryana, Manipur, Gujarat, Uttarakhand
• Group B: Andhra, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Maharashtra, Services, Railways, Himachal Pradesh
• Group C: Karnataka, Nagaland, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Saurashtra, Punjab, Puducherry, Arunachal Pradesh
• Group D: Mizoram, Tamil Nadu, Vidarbha, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Chandigarh, Jammu and Kashmir
• Group E: Bihar, Bengal, Kerala, Tripura, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Baroda

Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 | Streaming Details

Where to watch Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 live in India ?

The matches of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 will be telecast live on the Sports 18 network. Fans can watch online streaming of all these matches on mobile on the Jio Cinema app and website in India.

Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 | Squads

Andhra cricket team: Srikar Bharat (c & wk), Shaik Rasheed (vc), Ashwin Hebbar, Ricky Bhui, Andimani Teja, Prithvi Raj, KV Sasikanth, Munnangi Abhinav, Shambu Akhil, Midde Anjaneyulu, Maheep Kumar, Satyanarayana Raju, Yara Sandeep, Pinninti Tapaswi, Bodhala Kumar

Arunachal Pradesh cricket team: Agnivesh Ayachi, Nabam Tempol, Nabam Abo (c), Abhinav Singh, Aditya Verma, Biki Kumar, Darge Bagra, Techi Doria, Gedak Ete, Licha Jhon, Lindum Kamte, Tadakamalla Mohith, Neelam Obi, Techi Neri, Ravi Prakash, Sharad Chahar, Nabam Tatang, Hardik Varma, Yab Niya, Kamsha Yangfo

Assam cricket team: Rahul Singh, Sumit Ghadigaonkar (vc), Avinov Choudhury, Denish Das, Rishav Das, Mrinmoy Dutta, Saahil Jain, Mukhtar Hussain, Parvej Musaraf, Swarupam Purkayastha, Darshan Rajbongshi, Akash Sengupta, Anurag Talukdar, Abhishek Thakuri

Baroda cricket team: Bhanu Pania, Jyotsnil Singh, Parth Kohli, Shashwat Rawat, Shivalik Sharma, Atit Sheth, Krunal Pandya (c), Mahesh Pithiya, Ninad Rathva, Amit Passi, Vishnu Solanki, Akash Singh, Babashafi Pathan, Bhargav Bhatt, Lakshit Toksiya, Lukman Meriwala, Raj Limbani

Bengal cricket team: Anustup Majumdar, Ranjot Singh Khaira, Shakir Gandhi, Subham Chatterjee, Sudip Chatterjee, Sudip Gharami (c), Karan Lal, Sumanta Gupta, Suraj Jaiswal, Vikas Singh, Abishek Porel, Kanishk Seth, Kaushik Maity, Mohammed Kaif, Mohammed Shami, Mukesh Kumar, Pradipta Pramanik, Rohit Kumar, Sayan Ghosh

Bihar cricket team: Harsh Raj, Kumar Rajnish, Mangal Mahrour, Nawaz Khan, Piyush Singh, Rishav Raj, Sakibul Gani (c), Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Danish Choudhary, Himanshu Singh, Kamlesh Kumar, Malay Raj, Raghuvendra Pratap Singh, Sachin Kumar, Ankit Singh, Baljeet Bihari, Bipin Saurabh, Amod Yadav, Suraj Kashyap

Chandigarh cricket team: Amrit Lubana, Ankit Kaushik, Arslan Khan, Jagjit Singh, Manan Vohra (c), Nehal Pajni, Shivam Bhambri, Chiragvir Singh, Hardik Choudhary, Nikhil Sharma, Raj Bawa, Tushar Joshi, Abhishek Saini, Nishunk Birla, Sandeep Sharma

Chhattisgarh cricket team: Aayush Pandey, Amandeep Khare (c), Anuj Tiwary, Bhupen Lalwani, Prateek Yadav, Sanjeet Desai, Shashank Singh, Ajay Mandal, Ashutosh Singh, Harsh Yadav, Shubham Agarwal, Eknath Kerkar, Sangeet Soni, Ashish Chouhan, Gagandeep Singh, Prashant Sai Painkra, Ravi Kiran

Delhi cricket team: Himmat Singh, Prince Yadav, Priyansh Arya, Sanat Sangwan, Sarthak Ranjan, Vaibhav Kandpal, Yash Dhull, Ayush Badoni, Harsh Tyagi, Jonty Sidhu, Mayank Gusain, Anuj Rawat, Tejasvi Dahiya, Akhil Chaudhary, Hrithik Shokeen, Ishant Sharma, Navdeep Saini, Sumit Mathur

Goa cricket team: Ishaan Gadekar, Kashyap Bakhale, Manthan Khutkar, Rahul Mehta, Snehal Kauthankar, Suyash Prabhudessai, Darshan Misal (c), Deepraj Gaonkar, Mohit Redkar, Vikash Singh, Krishnamurthy Siddharth, Samar Dubhashi, Amulya Pandrekar, Arjun Tendulkar, Felix Alemao, Ruthvik Naik, Shubham Tari, Vijesh Prabhudessai

Gujarat cricket team: Ishaan Gadekar, Kashyap Bakhale, Manthan Khutkar, Rahul Mehta, Snehal Kauthankar, Suyash Prabhudessai, Darshan Misal (c), Deepraj Gaonkar, Mohit Redkar, Vikash Singh, Krishnamurthy Siddharth, Samar Dubhashi, Amulya Pandrekar, Arjun Tendulkar, Felix Alemao, Ruthvik Naik, Shubham Tari, Vijesh Prabhudessai

Haryana cricket team: Ankit Kumar, Dheeru Singh, Yuvraj Singh, Anshul Kamboj, Ashok Menaria, Nishant Sindhu, Sumit Kumar, Dinesh Bana, Kapil Hooda, Parth Vats, Aman Kumar, Harshal Patel, Himanshu Rana, Amit Rajak

Himachal Pradesh cricket team: Prashant Chopra, Rishi Dhawan (c), Vinay Galetiya, Nikhil Gangta, Sumeet Verma, Kanwar Abhinay, Vaibhav Arora, Mayank Dagar, Arpit Guleria, Divesh Sharma, Ayush Jamwal, Ankit Kalsi, Mani Sharma, Mukul Negi, Digvijay Rangi, Shubham Arora, Apporav Walia

Hyderabad cricket team: Chandan Sahani, Gaurav Reddy, Nitish Reddy, Rahul Buddhi, Tanmay Agarwal, Tilak Varma (c), Nitesh Reddy, Rohit Rayudu, Tanay Thyagarajan, TP Anirudh, Varun Goud, Abhirath Reddy, Ali Kachi Diamond, Prateek Reddy, Rahul Radesh, Ajay Dev Goud, Aniketh Reddy, Chama Milind, Mohammad Muddassir, Rishab Baslas, Saranu Nishanth

Jammu & Kashmir cricket team: Paras Dogra (c), Shubham Khajuria (vc), Abdul Samad, Shubham Pundir, Qamran Iqbal, Abid Mushtaq, Vivrant Sharma, Rasikh Salam, Yudhvir Singh, Auqib Nabi, Sunil Kumar, Lone Nasir, Musaif Ajaz, Sahil Lotra, Vanshaj Sharma, Shivansh Sharma

Jharkhand cricket team: Kumar Deobrat, Ishan Kishan (wk), Kumar Kushagra (wk), Virat Singh, Anukul Roy, Utkarsh Singh, Varun Aaron, Bal Krishna, Aayush Bhardwaj, Supriyo Chakraborty, Manishi, Shikhar Mohan, Sharandeep Singh, Atul Singh Surwar, Vikas Kumar, Vikash Singh, Vikash Vishal

Karnataka cricket team: Mayank Agarwal (c), KV Aneesh, Nikin Jose, Krishnan Shrijith, (wk)LS Sisodia (wk), Luvnith Sisodia, R Smaran, Shreyas Gopal (vc), Manoj Bhandage, Abhinav Manohar, Abhilash Shetty, Praveen Dubey, Vasuki Koushik, Vidyadhar Patil, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Kishan Bedare, Hardik Raj

Kerala cricket team: Mohammed Azharuddeen (wk), Jalaj Saxena, Aditya Sarwate, Basil Thampi, MD Nidheesh, Salman Nizar (c), Ahammed Imran, M Ajnas, Nedumankuzhy Basil, Eden Apple Tom, Sijomon Joseph, Krishna Prasad, Anand Krishnan, Rohan Kunnummal, Shoun Roger, Akhil Scaria, Sharafuddeen, Vaisakh Chandran, Suresh Vishweshwar

Madhya Pradesh cricket team: Rajat Patidar (c), Harpreet Singh, Subhranshu Senapati, Venkatesh Iyer, Shubham Sharma, Avesh Khan, Kumar Kartikeya, Kulwant Khejroliya, player page headshot cutout 2023Kulwant Khejroliya, Rahul Batham, Yash Dubey, Harsh Gawli, Saransh Jain, Himanshu Mantri, Aryan Pandey, Sagar Solanki

Maharashtra cricket team: Ankit Bawne, Dhanraj Shinde, Om Bhosale, Rahul Tripathi, Azim Kazi, Divyang Hinganekar, Siddhesh Veer, Nikhil Naik, Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Hitesh Walunj, Mukesh Choudhary, Pradeep Dadhe, Prashant Solanki, Rajneesh Gurbani, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Satyajeet Bachhav

Manipur cricket team: Basir Rahman, Johnson Singh, Karnajit Yumnam, L Kishan Singha, Thokchom Anand, Kangabam Priyojit, Kishan Thokchom, Lamabam Jotin Singh, Pheiroijam Singh, Rex Rajkumar, Ahmed Shah, Ulenyai Khwairakpam, Bishworjit Konthoujam, Somorjit Salam, Sultan Karim

Meghalaya cricket team: Ibitlang Thabah, Kishan Lyngdoh, Nishanta Chakravarty, Pringsang Sangma, Roberth Sangma, Roshan Warbah, Wanlambok Nongkhlaw, Larry Sangma, Riboklang Hynniewta, Swarajeet Das, Arien Sangma, Arpit Bhatewara, Yogesh Tiwari, Adarsh Joshi, Akash Choudhary (c), Aryan Bora, Chengkam Sangma, Himan Phukan, Nafees Siddique, Pankaj Mandal

Mizoram cricket team: KC Cariappa, Remruatdika Ralte, B Zothansanga, Bobby Zothansanga (c), Jehu Anderson, Agni Chopra, Rohan Chowdury, Mohit Jangra, G Lalbiakvela, Lalhriatrenga, Marty Lalrinhlua, Joseph Lalthankhuma, Parvez Ahmed, Lalhruai Ralte, Moses Ramhlunmawia, Khiangte Vanrotlinga

Mumbai cricket team: Siddhesh Lad, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Hardik Tamore (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Tanush Kotian, Suryansh Shedge, Shardul Thakur, Atharva Ankolekar, Vinayak Bhoir, Jay Bista, Royston Dias, Ayush Mhatre, Mohammad Juned Khan, Prasad Pawar, Harsha Tanna

Nagaland cricket team: Dega Nischal, Hem Chetri, Sedezhalie Rupero, Dip Borah, Imliwati Lemtur, Nagaho Chishi, Rongsen Jonathan, Chetan Bist, Yugandhar Singh, Chopise Hopongkyu, Jagadeesha Suchith, Khrievitso Kense, Raja Swarnkar, Tahmeed Rahman, Tzudir Moakumzuk

Odisha cricket team: Anil Parida, Gourav Choudhury, Kartik Biswal, Rakesh Pattnaik, Sandeep Pattnaik (c), Swastik Samal, Abhishek Raut, Govinda Poddar, Tapas Das, Aasirwad Swain, Rajesh Dhuper, Debabrata Pradhan, Jamala Mohapatra, Prayash Singh, Rajesh Mohanty, Sarbeswar Mohanty, Sumit Sharma, Tarani Sa

Puducherry cricket team: Arun Karthik, (wk), Ganga Sridhar Raju, Aman Khan, Ankit Sharma, Aqib Jawad, Fabid Ahmed, Gaurav Yadav, Satish Jangir, Jashwanth Shreeram, Mohit Kale, Neyan Shyam Kangayan, Akash Kargave, Jayasundaram Karthikeyan, Marimuthu Vikneshwaran, Premraj Rajavelu, Ajay Rohera, Sabhay Chadha, Paras Ratnaparkhe, Saurabh Yadav, Sidak Singh, Sivamurugan Murugaiyan, Sagar Udeshi, Vijai Raja

Punjab cricket team: Anmolpreet Singh, Naman Dhir, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Ramandeep Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Abhishek Sharma, Sanvir Singh, Arshdeep Singh, Baltej Singh, Gurnoor Brar, Harpreet Brar, Mayank Markande, Ashwani Kumar, Sohraab Dhaliwal, Prerit Dutta, Jaskaranvir Singh Paul, Jassinder Singh, Kunwar Kuckreja, Anmol Malhotra, Pukhraj Mann, Sahil Khan, Raghu Sharma

Railways cricket team: Ashutosh Sharma, Nishant Kushwah, Ravi Singh, Sahab Yuvraj Singh, Shubham Chaubey, Mohammad Saif, Shivam Chaudhary, Yuvraj Singh, Suraj Ahuja, Upendra Yadav, Akash Pandey, Akshat Pandey, Purnank Tyagi, Rahul Sharma, Raj Choudhary

Rajasthan cricket team: Shubham Garhwal, Sumit Godara, Kartik Sharma (wk), Abhijeet Tomar, Mahipal Lomror (c), Manav Suthar (vc), Deepak Hooda, Kukna Ajay Singh, Rahul Chahar, Deepak Chahar, Aniket Choudhary, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Rajat Choudhary, Ram Chouhan, Mohit Jain, Rajveer Rathore, Rajkumar Saini, Samarpit Joshi, Aman Shekhawat, Zubair Ali

Saurashtra cricket team: Arpit Vasavada, Jay Gohil, Ruchit Ahir, Vishvaraj Jadeja, Chirag Jani, Parswaraj Rana, Parth Bhut, Prerak Mankad, Harvik Desai, Sheldon Jackson, Tarang Gohel, Ankur Panwar, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, Hiten Kanbi, Jaydev Unadkat (c), Pranav Karia

Services cricket team: Rajat Paliwal (c), Arun Kumar, Varun Choudhary, Vineet Dhankhar, Anshul Gupta, Vikas Hathwala, Mohit Ahlawat, Pulkit Narang, Poonam Poonia, Raj Bahadur, Ravi Chauhan, Arjun Sharma, Amit Shukla, Suraj Vashisht, Vishal Gaur

Sikkim cricket team: Ankur Malik, Ronit More, Alauddin Ansari, Pranesh Chettri, Arun Chettri, Nilesh Lamichaney, Lee Yong Lepcha, Bhim Luitel, Md Saptulla, Md Talim, Parth Palawat, Saurav Prasad, Rahul Tamang, Palzor Tamang, Ashish Thapa

Tamil Nadu cricket team: Andre Siddharth, Baba Indrajith, Boopathi Kumar, Pranav Raghavendra, Shahrukh Khan, C V Achyuth, Deepesh Devendran, Vijay Shankar, Narayan Jagadeesan, Pradosh Ranjan Paul, Tushar Raheja, S Ajith Ram, S Mohamed Ali, Sai Kishore (c), Sandeep Warrier, Varun Chakravarthy

Tripura cricket team: Ankur Malik, Ronit More, Alauddin Ansari, Pranesh Chettri, Arun Chettri, Nilesh Lamichaney, Lee Yong Lepcha, Bhim Luitel, Md Saptulla, Md Talim, Parth Palawat, Saurav Prasad, Rahul Tamang, Palzor Tamang, Ashish Thapa

Uttar Pradesh cricket team: Rinku Singh (c), Abhishek Goswami, Priyam Garg, Aryan Juyal, (wk), Madhav Kaushik, Akshdeep Nath, Nitish Rana, Saurabh Kumar, Karan Sharma, Aaqib Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohsin Khan, Shivam Mavi, Aaradhya Yadav, Atal Bihari Rai, Karthikeya Jaiswal, Kritagya Singh, Vipraj Nigam, Vineet Panwar

Uttarakhand cricket team: Piyush Joshi, Ravikumar Samarth, Aditya Tare (wk), Yuvraj Chaudhary, Dikshanshu Negi, Abhay Negi, Deepak Dhapola, Swapnil Singh, Agrim Tiwari, Aditya Sethi, Avneesh Sudha, Prashant Bhati, Himanshu Bisht, Devendra Singh Bora, Kunal Chandela, Shashwat Dangwal, Saurabh Rawat, Piyush Singh

Vidarbha cricket team: Aman Mokhade, Apoorv Wankhade, Atharva Taide, Dhruv Shorey, Karun Nair (c), Shubham Dubey, Yash Rathod, Harsh Dubey, Nachiket Bhute, Parth Rekhade, Yash Kadam, Akshay Wadkar, Jitesh Sharma, Aditya Thakare, Darshan Nalkande, Praful Hinge, Yash Thakur

Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 | Key Players to Watch Out

Rajat Patidar

Rajat Patidar has been in exceptional form for Madhya Pradesh in the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT 2024). He was the second-highest run-scorer with 428 runs from 9 matches. He played a crucial knock of 81 runs in the SMAT final against Mumbai. 

Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has proven once again why he is still considered one of the most celebrated fast bowlers.  In 2024 SMAT, the veteran pacer’s standout moment came with a sensational hat-trick against Jharkhand. He finished the tournament with 11 wickets in 9 matches at an economy rate of 6.03. 

Krunal Pandya

Krunal Pandya's recent performance for Baroda in the recently concluded SMAT 2024 has been decent. However, his performance with the bat was not so impressive but he did dominate the tournament with his effective bowling. He took 8 wickets in 9 matches at an economy rate of 6.77.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has been a festival of big hits, explosive innings, and jaw-dropping sixes since its inception in 2008. While many sixes are hit every season, only a few stand out for their sheer distance. 

These monstrous hits don’t just clear the boundary—they clear stadiums, dent roofs, and sometimes even disappear into the night. Here’s a rundown of the Top 10 longest sixes in IPL history, and the Players whose raw power made them unforgettable.

(10) Liam Livingstone - 117 meters (PBKS vs GT, 2022)

Liam Livingstone hit a 117-meter six at DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai. His raw, savage hitting came while representing the Punjab Kings against the Gujarat Titans. Livingstone’s aggressive batting style added a new dimension to the IPL's power-hitting tradition.

In the 16th over, Livingstone launched Mohammed Shami’s short ball over deep midwicket. The sound off the bat, the launch angle, and the distance of the six were commendable. It was the longest six of the 2022 season and one of the most replayed moments on social media.

(9) Gautam Gambhir - 117 meters (KKR vs RR, 2013)

Known for his gritty batting and match-winning leadership, Gambhir was not the kind of player you would expect to smash 100+ meter sixes.

But he shocked everyone in 2013 when he struck a 117-meter six playing for KKR against the Rajasthan Royals. He picked up a short ball and hammered it deep into the stands — a 117-meter monster against S Sreesanth at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. 

The back-foot shot was so clean and powerful that it left everyone stunned, as it was unexpected from someone like Gautam Gambhir, who built his game on timing and not power-hitting. It proved that even the most technically correct batters can deliver a serious punch.

(8) Ben Cutting – 117 meters (SRH vs RCB, 2016)

During the 2016 IPL final between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad, Ben Cutting smashed a full toss ball of Shane Watson over backwards square leg with a clean strike, and it measured a 117-meter six, making it not just long but legendary at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.   

What made it even more iconic was the situation of that match. Ben Cutting’s 39* runs off just 15 balls with 3 fours and 4 huge sixes gave SRH the final push to reach the total of 208 runs. He then came back with the ball to take 2 wickets, including Gayle and KL Rahul. His all-around performance earned him the Man of the Match award and helped SRH lift their maiden IPL trophy in 2016 under the captaincy of David Warner.

(7) Ross Taylor – 119 meters (RCB vs CSK, 2008)

Ross Taylor smashed a 119-meter six against his Kiwi team-mate Jacob Oram in the deep mid-wicket area. It came during the inaugural edition of IPL in the match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Chennai Super Kings at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. Ross Taylor was representing RCB, and Jacob was playing for CSK. 

Taylor's technique – staying still and unleashing raw power – made this six particularly memorable, and it was so long that it made it to the list of Top 10 longest sixes in IPL history.

While Ross Taylor may be remembered more for his classical stroke play and calm middle-order presence, that 119-meter six remains a loud reminder that underestimate his muscle, and he’ll send the ball into orbit.

(6) Yuvraj Singh – 119 meters (KXIP vs CSK, 2009)

Yuvraj Singh smashed a massive 119-meter six with his signature flick shot over the midwicket area against the delivery of Albie Morkel at the SuperSport Park Stadium in Centurion, South Africa. Yuvraj Singh, being one of the important players of Kings XI Punjab in that season, hit that six against Chennai Super Kings.

In the IPL 2009 season, Yuvraj wasn’t just clearing boundaries; he also made headlines with two hat-tricks as a part-time spinner. But moments like this, 119 meters six reminded everyone of what he did best: destroy bowling attacks with his power-hitting.

Unlike many power-hitters who rely on brute force, Yuvraj had a unique blend of timing and wristwork. This particular 119-meter six was a classic example—it looked casual, but it was massive.

(5) Chris Gayle – 119 meters (RCB vs PWI, 2013)

On April 13, 2013, known as the "Universe Boss", Chris Gayle, while playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore, unleashed carnage with an unbeaten 175 off 66 balls with 13 fours and 17 sixes against Pune Warriors India, still the highest individual score in T20 history.

Among the 17 sixes he smashed that day, one stood out—a 119-meter monster six which came against the left-arm spinner Ali Murtaza, and everybody knew that this six would definitely make its entry in the unique list of the Top 10 longest sixes in IPL history.

Gayle picked up a tossed-up delivery and sent it sailing high over long-on, clearing the stadium roof.  What made the shot even more iconic was how casual it looked.

There was no slog, no overextension; just a flick of those massive shoulders. And that’s what sets Gayle apart. His sixes don’t just travel far; they leave dents in the minds of bowlers.

Also Read: IPL Facts: Who hit the most sixes in IPL History? Top 10 list

(4) Robin Uthappa – 120 meters (RCB vs MI, 2010)

Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Robin Uthappa hit a massive 120-meter six against the delivery of Dwayne Bravo, who was playing for Mumbai Indians. Often underrated in terms of raw power, Robin Uthappa hammered the full-length delivery, and it sailed over the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai.

He shuffled slightly to the offside and struck the full delivery high over wide long-on. The white ball flew above the stadium, high over the concrete roof.

What made this 120-meter six remarkable was how clean the strike was. Uthappa didn’t muscle it; he timed it with perfection.

That’s what shocked everyone—how effortless it looked coming off the bat, yet how far it travelled. In an era dominated by big names like Gayle, Dhoni, AB De Villiers, and Pollard, Robin Uthappa quietly carved out his own moment of IPL glory with that 120-meter majestic six.

(3) Adam Gilchrist – 122 meters (KXIP vs RCB, 2011)

Adam Gilchrist’s 122-meter six in the 2011 IPL was a throwback to his peak days of fearless, no-nonsense hitting. Representing Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), the Aussie legend unleashed one of the biggest sixes in tournament history—a 122-meter six of pure, clean power.

The shot came at the Dharamsala ground, known for its high altitude and quick carry. Gilchrist capitalised on that, but this wasn’t a thin-air fluke—it was a full-blooded pull shot off Charl Langeveldt.

The ball rocketed into the mountainside air, disappearing deep into the stands beyond mid-wicket. Even by Gilchrist’s own explosive standards, this was massive. 

That innings was special in itself—Gilchrist smashed 106 off 55 balls in that match with 8 fours and 9 sixes, leading from the front with a captain’s knock. But the 122-meter six became one of the most talked-about moments, not just for its length but for the man who hit it.

(2) Praveen Kumar – 124 meters (RCB vs RR, 2008)

Praveen Kumar, mainly acknowledged for his swing bowling, shocked everyone by hitting a 124-meter six during the 2008 season when he played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, against the Rajasthan Royals.

In that match, Kumar smashed a huge six off the bowling of Yusuf Pathan, sending the ball flying over long-on. This massive 124-meter six stands as one of the longest in IPL history and is the longest six ever hit by an Indian player in the IPL. 

It is important to point out that there is some variation in the reporting about the year and the opposing team for this six.

Some sources place the 124-meter six during a match against the Mumbai Indians in the year 2011, with Kumar hitting the huge six for Kings XI Punjab against Lasith Malinga. However, some reputable accounts put the 124-meter six at the 2008 match against the Rajasthan Royals. 

Regardless of the exact details, Praveen Kumar's 124-meter six remains a standout moment in IPL history, showcasing his unexpected power-hitting ability.

(1) Albie Morkel – 125 meters (CSK vs DC, 2008)

South African all-rounder Albie Morkel holds the record for the longest six in IPL history. Playing for Chennai Super Kings against Deccan Chargers, Morkel launched a delivery from Pragyan Ojha to an astounding 125 meters six, sending the ball onto the stadium roof at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.

The shot was classic Morkel—high bat lift, full commitment, and insane raw power. What made it even more impressive was that it wasn’t a slog. It was a technically sound, full swing of the bat that met the ball perfectly in the slot. The bat speed generated by Morkel without much footwork—pure timing and raw strength.

Over 18 years later, no one has topped that 125-meter giant six, and it's a record that stands as a reminder of just how brutal Morkel could be when he found his arc. This 125-meter six by Albie Morkel tops the list of the Top 10 longest sixes in IPL history.

Chakdaha, a very tiny town in the Nadia district of West Bengal, is known to the cricketing world for a very special player. It is Jhulan Goswami, who made Chakdaha famous with fiery spells all around the globe, wearing the Blue jersey of India. 

When Jhulan was breaking records in women's cricket, another speedster from Chakdaha dreamt of breaking stumps and records too. Sayan Ghosh, known as Bengal's Malinga, saw ups and downs from the start of his cricketing career. But, like his swinging yorkers, Sayan never swayed away from his targets. 

Ghosh last played a Ranji Trophy game way back in 2017. In 6 first-class games, he has two five-wicket hauls. Still, he was never called back to the Ranji Trophy, team until this season. The reason is his incredible comeback into the white ball side for Bengal. 

Sayan Ghosh's incredible season in white-ball format

Sayan was always called the "White Ball" specialist due to his ability to hit yorkers and variations. However, with bowlers like Mukesh Kumar, Ishan Porel and Akash Deep doing well, he found himself out of the side in the last few seasons. But, his will to keep doing well at the club level, helped him make another comeback to the Bengal side. 

This season, Sayan Ghosh was the highest wicket-taker for Bengal in both Syed Mushtaq Ali and Vijay Hazare Trophy tournaments. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament, he returned with 13 wickets from 7 games at an outstanding economy rate of 6.77.

Bengal wins the thriller against Chandigarh and marches forward to the semi finals of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024.

Former KKR bowler Sayan Ghosh was the star of the show as he picked up 4 wickets and defended 11 runs of the final over that helped Bengal come out on top. pic.twitter.com/ZdOl4soLSt

— KKR ULTRAS (@KKRUltras) December 9, 2024

In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the stats were even better as he capped off the season with 15 wickets from 7 games which included a five-wicket haul against Kerala. Post, his outstanding white-ball return, Sayan was included in the Ranji Trophy squad for the final two games of the season. 

Read Also | Bengal Ranji Team in Last Three Seasons: 13 opening combinations, 22 debutants and many more numbers

"Nothing as sweet as a comeback:" Sayan Ghosh

After his remarkable resurgence in domestic cricket, Sportz Point sat with the 32-year-old pacer to sense his thoughts. 

Talking about his return to the Bengal team, Sayan started the conversation by saying, "It is always a pleasure to represent Bengal. And there is nothing as sweet as a comeback when you are down and about to lose. Performing well for the team feels great."

Ex-KKR pacer Sayan Ghosh in action for @Mohun_Bagan

Does his action resemble anyone? #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/mPaLkt1Rr5

— Koushik Biswas (@kbofficial25) November 28, 2023

Impact of Bengal Pro T20 League

Sayan feels, along with doing well for Mohun Bagan in the club format, the Bengal Pro T20 League has helped him be in the best form possible. 

"I must say, performance in BPL gave me confidence," Sayan told Sportz Point.

"I didn’t take too much pressure for the whole season because I knew if I did well, I would play. I had belief in myself. Captain Sudip (Gharami), coaches Laxmi (Ratan Shukla) da and Maco (Shib Shankar Paul) da gave confidence. So, I didn’t take a lot of pressure."

 

 

 

 

 

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Focusing on the basics

A few seasons back, Sayan had a longer run-up which caused him a few injuries. But, post the 2022 season, he shortened his run-up to avoid such injuries which helped him gain more control. Keeping this in mind, Sportz Point wanted to know if he had done anything special to prepare for this grand comeback. 

However, as per Sayan, he just kept doing the basic things over and over to get better at everything. "I do lots of fitness work and spot bowling. It helps me a lot," Sayan added while answering the question. 

Read Also | Where Are They Now: Last Time Bengal Men's Cricket Team Won A Trophy

"Trust in GOD"

Regardless of how, for a sportsperson, a comeback is as much a mental challenge as it is a physical battle. Back in 2022, in an exclusive interview with Sportz Point, Sayan shared that "rejections do not deject him." 

But, saying that and actually having that mental strength are two different things altogether. For Sayan, it was all about being present and believing in God. 

"There comes a time in every sportsman's life when they stop worrying about the outcome, trust in God, and fully immerse themselves in the process. So, that was my thinking just to be in the present and wait for my turn," Sayan expressed. 

Read Also | Bengal Cricket: 7 U-19 cricketers from Bengal who can play for India in future

During tough periods like these, players always get some people clapping and cheering for them. For Sayan, along with his family, there were a few people, who guided and supported him throughout the process. 

"Maco da (Shib Shankar Paul) and Kanchan (Maity) da gave me chances in BPL And Laxmi (Ratan Shukla) da helped me and gave me a chance to come back in Bengal Cricket." 

"I must say about Akash da, one of my colleagues in my office, who is a very good bowler himself. He supported me in every aspect of my life. I think without his support, I could not have made the come back like that," Sayan stated.

Age? Not a problem

But, in this process of being in and out of the team, Sayan has reached an age where most cricketers start to reach the end of their careers. But, not all. 

Cricketers like Scott Boland have proved that, if you can keep putting in the hard work, even as a fast bowler you can debut and play at the highest level even after 30. Sayan believes that too. 

"Hope keeps us alive. I don’t think a lot about the outcome. But, when you have a goal to achieve something big in your professional career, you always stay motivated," the 32-year-old shared. 

"There is nothing as sweet as a comeback, when you are down and about to lose. If you are thinking about a comeback, you have to keep pushing the boundaries. I have small targets to do well in club cricket and give Mohunbagan trophies. I want to make a strong impact in Bengal Cricket in every format."

Read Also | Exclusive | "Felt like my debut:" Bengal pacer Ishan Porel now wants to enjoy his cricket after a solid comeback to first-class cricket

The love for "Red Cherry"

Now, after a great white-ball return, Sayan Ghosh wants to don the whites for Bengal again. Amidst all the success around white-ball cricket, his love for red-ball cricket remained the same; like a 10-year-old with a new ball in hand. 

"We are playing well in all formats, especially in the Ranji trophy. It was unfortunate for us not to qualify despite playing well in the group stages. The Bihar match and the Kerala match were gone because of the rain and that was the reason (we could not qualify). 

"The last time I played a Ranji Trophy game was in 2017. I have played 6 matches and got two five-wicket hauls. However, because of certain team combinations, I haven't played red-ball cricket in a long time now. 

"My belief is always there to make a strong comeback in red ball cricket."

Haryana is the latest entrant on the Vijay Hazare Trophy past winners list as they defeated Rajasthan in the 2023-24 season of the limited-overs domestic tournament of Indian cricket. 

Also Read: Most runs in Vijay Hazare Trophy history

Starting in the 2002-03 season, the Vijay Hazare Trophy, named after the legendary Indian cricketer, has been won by 11 different teams so far with Tamil Nadu winning it the most number of times (five).

Let's take a look at the Vijay Hazare Trophy past winners. 

Vijay Hazare Trophy | One of the most leading domestic tournament 

Just like Ranji Trophy and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy is also a domestic tournament organised annually by the BCCI. 

All the teams that participate in Ranji Trophy participate in this tournament as well.

Because of this tournament, white ball cricketers from respective states get a platform to showcase their abilities. 

It helps in segregating the best amongst the best. The players who perform well in these matches get a call for further selection in Zonal Cricket Association, National Cricket Academy (NCA), IPL, India A etc. 

Hence, it is a stepping stone in their journey to represent the county.

Vijay Hazare Trophy, earlier called Ranji One Day Trophy

The Vijay Hazare Trophy was earlier called the Ranji One Day Trophy and it was played at the zonal level instead of the state level.

The first edition of this tournament was played in 1993-94 and since then it has played a vital part in the BCCI domestic structure.

This competition was renamed to the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2007, named after an esteemed cricketer, Vijay Samuel Hazare. 

He captained India in 14 matches between 1951 and 1953, leading India to its first test win in 1951 against England at Madras. 

He scored 2192 runs in 30 games, at an astonishing batting average of 47.65. 

Vijay Hazare Trophy | Format 

The Vijay Hazare Trophy is a 50 over tournament that follows a round-robin format in the group stage, leading to knockout rounds. 

The tournament is divided into several groups, and the top two teams from each group go against each other in the knockout stages. 

In total, 38 teams participate, reflecting the broad representation of Indian domestic cricket.

Vijay Hazare Trophy Past Winners

Tamil Nadu, most successful team of VHT

Tamil Nadu, the inaugural champions, have won five titles, the most in Vijay Hazare Trophy history. 

Karnataka and Mumbai are joint-second with four titles. Meanwhile, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are the only teams to have lifted two trophies on the bounce.

The trophy was shared by Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh in the 2004-05 season.  

Bengal have finished runner-up five times, the most in the competition.

Bengal, Railways, Delhi, Jharkhand, Gujarat, and Himachal Pradesh have all won the title once each.

Vijay Hazare Trophy, India's premier List A cricket tournament, has provided a platform for players to make their mark in domestic cricket. 

The competition features a mix of seasoned professionals, IPL stars, and young talents aiming for to prove themselves.

Also Read: Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25: Knockout fixture and schedule

let's have a look at the top 10 batters with most runs in Vijay Hazare Trophy history.

Most runs in Vijay Hazare Trophy

1. Ankit Bawne | 3960 Runs

Maharashtra veteran batter Ankit Bawne scored the most runs in Vijay Hazare Trophy history. 

He scored 3960 runs in VHT in 88 innings of 93 matches at an average of 56.57 and a strike rate of 80.03.

Bawne also holds the record for the most century in VHT, registering 15 tons. He broke Ruturaj Gaikwad's record of 12 centuries.

His highest scored is 184*.

2. Dinesh Karthik | 3433 Runs

Senior wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik, who played for Tamil Nadu in domestic cricket, scored 3433 runs in 71 innings of 79 matches with 9 centuries and 19 half-centuries.

His highest score is 154*.

3. Manish Pandey | 3403 Runs

Manish Pandey, who led Karnataka in Vijay Hazare Trophy, scored 3403 runs in Vijay Hazare Trophy tournament in 99 innings of 103 matches. 

He scored runs at an average of 44.77 and a strike rate of 93.66. His highest score is 142*.

Pandey is the fourth batsman in the history of Vijay Hazare Trophy to score 20 plus half centuries (25).

4. Priyank Panchal | 3395 Runs

Gujarat opener Priyank Panchal scored 3395 runs in 83 matches at an average of 42.97 and a strike rate of 80.77.

The right-handed batter smashed 8 centuries and 20 half-centuries for Gujarat. 

Panchal is the first player to score a triple century for Gujarat. He was the leading run-scorer for Gujarat in the 2017–18 Ranji Trophy, with 542 runs in seven matches.

His highest score in VHT is 136.

5. Mayank Agarawal | 3304 Runs

Karnataka captain Mayank Agarwal scored 3304 runs in 69 innings of 70* matches. He scored at an average of 53.29 and a strike rate of 99.81.

He has 11 centuries and 16 half-centuries to his name. His highest score in VHT is 162. 

Mayank was once India's mainstay opener in Test cricket as he opened alongside Rohit Sharma. However, the emergence of Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal as well as a dip in his own firm worked against him.

He has over 5,300 runs in List A cricket.

6. Prashant Chopra | 3280 Runs

Himachal Pradesh batter Prashant Chopra scored 3280 runs in 80 innings of 81 matches at an average of 42.59 and a strike rate of 81.57.

Prashant smashed 6 centuries and 20 half-centuries for Himachal. His highest score in VHT is 159.

He was the leading run-scorer for Himachal Pradesh in the 2018–19 Vijay Hazare Trophy, with 329 runs in six matches.

Prashant was also bought by the Rajasthan Royals in the 2018 IPL auction.

7. Mandeep Singh | 3238 Runs

Punjab batter Mandeep Singh scored 3238 runs in 91 innings of 101 matches. He scored at an average of 39.01 and a strike rate of 77.93.

He hit 4 centuries and 23 half-centuries for Punjab with a highest score of 119. 

He was the highest run scorer in 2015 Vijay Hazare Trophy. Mandeep was also one of the most consistent run scorers in latest editions of Ranji Trophy.

8. Ganesh Satish | 3210 Runs 

Ganesh Satish, former Karnataka batsman, now representing Vidarbha, scored 3210 runs in Vijay Hazare Trophy. He scored in 93 innings of 98 matches at an average of 38.67 and a strike rate of 78.88.

He smashed 5 centuries and 21 half-centuries in VHT. His highest score is 140*.

Ganesh became the eighth batsman to aggregate 2000 plus runs in the history of Vijay Hazare Trophy.

9. Yashpal Singh | 3193 Runs 

The former Services middle-order batter, Yashpal Singh amassed 3193 runs in 69 innings of 72 matches at an impressive average of 60.24. 

Between 2008-2019, Yashpal represented Manipur, Tripura and Services before plying his trade for Sikkim in the latter half of his career.

He has 10 centuries and 21 half-centuries to his name with highest score of 134*. 

10. Saurabh Tiwary | 3190 Runs

Jharkhand batter Saurabh Tiwary scored 3190 runs in 85 innings of 89 matches at an average of 49.07 and a strike rate of 83.48.

He has 5 centuries and 20 half-centuries to his name with a highest score of 130*.

Tiwary was called into the squad for the 2010 Asia Cup, but did not play. He made his ODI debut against Australia in Visakhapatnam in October 2010 after a few first-choice players were rested.

The defending champions Haryana defeated Bengal in the preliminary quarter-final of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 at the Moti Bagh Stadium in Vadodara on Thursday. With this, Haryana entered the quarterfinal round. 

Also Read: Mohammed Shami may return to Indian squad for the forthcoming England series and Champions Trophy

Haryana did not get a good start

In the preliminary quarterfinal, Bengal won the toss and decided to bowl first. Haryana did not get a good start and Mukesh Kumar along with Mohammed Shami sent both the openers to the pavilion within 50.

Parth Shiv Vats (62) and Nishant Sindhu (64) took the team beyond 200. Sumit Kumar (41) and Rahul Tewatia (29) played important roles in taking Haryana closer to 300. Shami took 3 wickets while Mukesh Kumar took 2 wickets.

Shami bowled well

Shami ended with figures of 3/61 from his 10-over spell. The veteran seamer dismissed opener Himanshu Rana (14) before getting rid of Dinesh Bana (15) and Anshul Kamboj (4) at the death.

In 135 List A matches, Shami has raced to 257 wickets at 23-plus. 195 of his scalps in the 50-over format have come for India. Shami picked 5 wickets in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25.

Haryana won by 72 runs

Chasing the target of 299 runs, Bengal had a good start and both the openers made a partnership of 70 runs for the first wicket. After this, as soon as both the openers were out, Haryana bowlers wreaked havoc and bundled out the entire Bengal team for 226 runs.

Haryana won the pre-quarterfinal match of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 by 72 runs. Parth Vats was chosen Player of the Match for taking 3 wickets and playing an important role in the team's victory. Apart from Parth, Nishant Sindhu and Anshul Kamboj took 2-2 wickets. 

Also Read: Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25: Knockout fixture and schedule

Second half-century for Parth Vats

20-year-old Parth Vats, who made his debut for Haryana in List A cricket with the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25, was superb versus Bengal. He hit six fours in his 77-ball knock. This was his 2nd fifty of the tournament. After 7 matches, he has amassed 234 runs at 39. His scores read as: 1, 27, 27, 52*, 18, 47, and 62.