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Hyderabad: In an unprecedented development during the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the highly anticipated Baroda vs Gujarat clash has been officially shifted to the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium due to extraordinary crowd interest and security considerations arising from the massive craze surrounding Hardik Pandya.

Officials confirmed that the decision was taken after unusually large gatherings of fans were recorded near team hotels, practice nets, and ticket counters – far exceeding typical domestic tournament turnout. The surge, organisers say, is driven entirely by the excitement to watch Hardik Pandya, whose star power continues to attract fans in overwhelming numbers.

“The enthusiasm for Hardik Pandya is unbelievable. Fan turnout, enquiries, and crowd movement exceeded our projections by a huge margin. To ensure safety and smooth match operations, we decided to shift the match to Rajiv Gandhi Stadium,” a senior organising official said.

The Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, known for hosting major international matches and IPL fixtures, provides stronger security architecture and greater crowd-handling capacity, making it the preferred choice for a turnout of this scale.

Hyderabad has already witnessed scenes reminiscent of IPL match days – with fans gathering outside practice sessions, holding banners, lining up for tickets, and flooding social media – all in anticipation of seeing Hardik Pandya compete in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

The Baroda vs Gujarat encounter is part of India’s premier domestic T20 tournament, the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and is now expected to draw record-breaking attendance following the venue shift.