Vadodara: When India clinched the T20 World Cup in Ahmedabad on Sunday night, Vadodara quietly celebrated a hat-trick of its own.For the third consecutive year, the city—often called the cradle of cricket in Gujarat—found itself linked to a world champion.In 2024, Baroda’s star all-rounder Hardik Pandya was part of the Indian team that lifted the T20 World Cup. In 2025, Baroda girl Radha Yadav carried forward the city’s legacy as a member of the Indian women’s team that won the ODI World Cup. Now, in 2026, as India once again claimed the T20 World Cup with Pandya in the squad, Vadodara completed a remarkable three-year streak — a rare sporting hat-trick etched in Indian cricket.“Vadodara has always had a rich cricketing legacy, and many of our players have gone on to represent India. It’s a matter of immense pride for the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) that players from our association were part of the last three World Cup victories,” said BCA CEO Snehal Parikh. Both Pandya and Yadav had received a rousing welcome from Barodians when they returned to the city after their respective World Cup triumphs.The BCA is expected to organise another celebratory rally to honour Pandya when he returns to the city.“One of the key reasons the city continues to produce international cricketers is its strong focus on grassroots cricket,” said Parikh, a former first-class cricketer. “The association nurtures young talent and regularly organises competitive tournaments.”He added that established players like Pandya and Yadav also motivate budding cricketers by participating in local tournaments or interacting with domestic players. “It gives a huge boost to aspiring cricketers,” he said.Vadodara’s association with World Cup glory goes back further. When India won the inaugural ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2007, two Barodians — Irfan Pathan and his brother Yusuf Pathan — were part of the victorious squad.
