Vijay Hazare drama: Mumbai collapse as stars light up

On a chaotic final league day of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26, heavyweight Mumbai somehow contrived to lose the unlosable, even as big names like Mohammad Nabi, Sarfaraz Khan and Ruturaj Gaikwad turned the domestic one-day stage into their personal highlight reel.

Quarter-final line-up set after rollercoaster league finish

By stumps on the league phase, the eight quarter-finalists were locked in: Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Vidarbha, Punjab, Mumbai, Delhi and Saurashtra. The route there, though, was anything but straightforward.

In chilly Bengaluru morning conditions, Delhi’s pace trio – veteran Ishant Sharma, tearaway Navdeep Saini and the bustling Prince Yadav – ran through Haryana, using the nip off the surface and clever changes of length to dismantle the chase. For Delhi fans, it felt like a throwback to classic Kotla-style seam days, just transplanted south.

Elsewhere, Mumbai’s meltdown grabbed social media by the collar. With experience, batting depth and the game seemingly in control, they still spiralled into a collapse that will sting their dressing room for a while. On the flip side, Sarfaraz Khan’s runs and intent again screamed that he is too good to be floating endlessly at the fringes of higher honours.

Over in other groups, Mohammad Nabi showed why seasoned overseas pros remain gold in domestic circuits, steering his side with that familiar mix of calm and clean ball-striking. Ruturaj Gaikwad was pure timing and class at the top, compiling another innings that would not have looked out of place in an international scorecard.

For Indian fans tracking the next wave, this league stage has thrown up a clear message: the pipeline is brimming, reputations mean nothing on a tricky day, and the knockouts are set up to be box-office.