The Vidarbha cricket team vs Maharashtra cricket team timeline has swung decisively in Vidarbha’s favor since 2024, with two dominant wins across the Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy reshaping what was once a fairly even domestic rivalry. From a lopsided 10-wicket innings win in Pune to a tense 69-run semifinal chase in Vadodara, this contest between India’s Central Zone and West Zone powerhouses has produced some of the sharpest tactical cricket seen in recent domestic seasons. Here’s the complete breakdown of every verified meeting, the players who defined them, and why this rivalry now carries real weight heading into future Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy campaigns.
Quick Overview of the Vidarbha vs Maharashtra Rivalry
Vidarbha and Maharashtra have met twice in verified competitive fixtures since 2023 – a Ranji Trophy match in Pune (February 2024) and a Vijay Hazare Trophy semifinal in Vadodara (January 2025) – with the head-to-head record split 1-1, though Vidarbha’s win came by a far bigger margin.
This is a rivalry defined less by frequency and more by intensity. Because Vidarbha represents India’s Central Zone and Maharashtra plays out of the West Zone, the two sides rarely cross paths during regular Ranji Trophy league rounds. Their meetings almost always arrive at knockout stage – quarterfinals, semifinals, or crossover fixtures – which means every ball carries tournament-defining stakes rather than routine league pressure.
That structural rarity is exactly why the Vidarbha cricket team vs Maharashtra cricket team timeline matters so much to followers of Indian domestic cricket. Each fixture functions less like a regular-season game, and more like a mini-final, and the two most recent meetings prove that perfectly.
Head-to-Head Record and Key Statistics
Since 2023, Vidarbha and Maharashtra have played two recorded matches, splitting them 1-1, with an average combined score of roughly 378 runs per innings and a highest total of 580 in the pair’s most lopsided first-innings battle.
| Metric | Detail |
| Matches played (2023 onward, verified) | 2 |
| Vidarbha wins | 1 (Ranji Trophy, Feb 2024) |
| Maharashtra wins | 0 in this two-match sample |
| Wins split | 1-1 overall (across format types) |
| Highest total recorded | 580 |
| Lowest total recorded | 177 |
| Vidarbha’s home venue | VCA Stadium, Nagpur |
| Maharashtra’s home venue | Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune |
Why the Numbers Matter More Than They Appear
Raw win-loss counts undersell how one-sided the Ranji Trophy meeting actually was. Vidarbha didn’t just win in Pune – they won by 10 wickets, chasing down their target inside six overs after Maharashtra collapsed in both innings. That’s not a close contest that tipped late; that’s a batting and bowling mismatch from the first session onward. Meanwhile, the Vijay Hazare semifinal in Vadodara was genuinely tight until the final overs, which tells you these two teams are far more competitive in white-ball cricket than in the four-day format, at least based on recent evidence.
Ranji Trophy Meeting: February 2024, Pune
Vidarbha thrashed Maharashtra by 10 wickets in their February 2024 Ranji Trophy Elite match at the MCA Stadium in Pune, a result built almost entirely on a commanding first-innings total of 552.
Maharashtra were bundled out for a modest 208 in their first innings, immediately putting them on the back foot against a Vidarbha batting order that had no intention of easing off. By the time Vidarbha’s innings ended at 552, the match was effectively decided – Maharashtra needed something extraordinary in their second innings just to make the game respectable.
How the Match Actually Unfolded
Maharashtra’s second-innings fight produced 371 runs, a genuine improvement, but it arrived far too late against a target that demanded a near-impossible turnaround. Vidarbha needed only 28 runs to complete the win and got there without losing a wicket, closing out the match in under six overs. That’s the kind of margin that doesn’t just win a match – it sends a psychological message heading into future fixtures.
Vidarbha beat Maharashtra by 10 wickets in the February 2024 Ranji Trophy meeting at Pune, powered by a first-innings total of 552 against Maharashtra’s 208 and 371.
Read More: Vidarbha Cricket Team vs Maharashtra Cricket Team Timeline
Vijay Hazare Trophy Semifinal: January 2025, Vadodara
Vidarbha edged past Maharashtra by 69 runs in the second semifinal of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25, played at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara, with twin centuries from Dhruv Shorey and Yash Rathod proving decisive.
Unlike the one-sided Ranji Trophy clash, this contest showcased Maharashtra at their competitive best before ultimately falling short. Both teams entered the semifinal undefeated in their respective knockout runs – Vidarbha having dismantled Rajasthan by nine wickets in the quarterfinal, Maharashtra having eliminated Punjab by 70 runs.
The Batting Partnership That Set Up the Win
Yash Rathod’s 116 off 101 balls and Dhruv Shorey’s 114 off 120 balls formed the backbone of Vidarbha’s innings, carrying the side to 380/3 across their full 50 overs. This wasn’t a slog-fest; it was a controlled, calculated batting performance under captain Karun Nair, who had been in career-best form throughout that Vijay Hazare Trophy season.
Maharashtra’s Chase and Where It Fell Short
Chasing 381 to win, Maharashtra found scoring support from Arshin Kulkarni’s 90 and Ankit Bawne’s 50, but the required run rate crept past 7.6 midway through the innings and never came back down. Darshan Nalkande and Nachiket Bhute each claimed three wickets, applying just enough pressure at key moments to keep Maharashtra’s required rate climbing rather than falling. Maharashtra finished at 311/7, a respectable score that still fell 69 runs short.
Vidarbha won the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 semifinal against Maharashtra by 69 runs at Vadodara, riding centuries from Yash Rathod (116) and Dhruv Shorey (114).
Why This Result Carried Extra Weight
This wasn’t just a semifinal – it was validation of Vidarbha’s white-ball program under Karun Nair. The win pushed Vidarbha into the Vijay Hazare Trophy final that season, where they eventually lost to Karnataka. But the semifinal performance against Maharashtra proved Vidarbha’s depth wasn’t limited to first-class cricket; their List A batting unit, featuring Shorey, Rathod, and a settled middle order, could go toe-to-toe with any side in the country.
The Captaincy Factor: Faiz Fazal to Karun Nair
Vidarbha’s transformation from a mid-table Central Zone side into a genuine domestic powerhouse traces back through two captains – Faiz Fazal, who delivered back-to-back Ranji Trophy titles in 2017-18 and 2018-19, and Karun Nair, whose leadership powered the team’s Vijay Hazare Trophy success in the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons.
Faiz Fazal’s Legacy in This Fixture
Faiz Fazal captained Vidarbha in multiple recorded first-class fixtures against Maharashtra between 2016 and 2022, more than any other Vidarbha skipper in that head-to-head stretch. His era fundamentally altered how Vidarbha approached red-ball cricket – patient, disciplined, built around seam bowling depth rather than star power. That foundation is exactly what allowed the 2024 Ranji Trophy demolition of Maharashtra to happen without much drama.
Karun Nair’s Impact on White-Ball Cricket
Karun Nair’s arrival as Vidarbha’s white-ball leader coincided with a run of extraordinary personal form – 664 runs in six innings during that Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign, including five centuries and an unbeaten 122 in the quarterfinal against Rajasthan. Under his captaincy, Vidarbha didn’t just beat Maharashtra; they went on to complete their maiden Vijay Hazare Trophy title in the 2025-26 season, cementing their status as one of the format’s most dangerous domestic sides.
Key Players Who Have Shaped This Rivalry
Dhruv Shorey, Yash Rathod, Darshan Nalkande, and Nachiket Bhute for Vidarbha, alongside Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshin Kulkarni, and Ankit Bawne for Maharashtra, have been the standout performers in recent Vidarbha vs Maharashtra encounters.
Vidarbha’s Core Group
Dhruv Shorey has developed into one of the most reliable top-order batters in Indian domestic cricket, and his century against Maharashtra in the Vijay Hazare semifinal wasn’t an isolated performance – he’s been consistently central to Vidarbha’s white-ball success. Yash Rathod’s aggressive strokeplay complements Shorey’s steadier approach, giving Vidarbha two very different but equally dangerous batting threats at the top. Further down the order, all-rounders Darshan Nalkande and Nachiket Bhute have repeatedly stepped up with the ball in tight chases, exactly as they did in Vadodara.
Maharashtra’s Rising Talents
Maharashtra’s campaign against Vidarbha revealed the emergence of Arshin Kulkarni as a genuine batting talent, someone likely to feature prominently in Maharashtra’s plans for seasons to come. Ankit Bawne’s experience provided stability in the middle order, while captain Ruturaj Gaikwad – despite a quieter individual tournament with the bat – continued to lead a Maharashtra side that punched above expectations throughout that Vijay Hazare campaign, beating Punjab comfortably en route to the semifinal.
Venue Trends: Where These Teams Have Clashed
Vidarbha’s most decisive win over Maharashtra came at a neutral-feeling home advantage in Pune, while their tightest recent contest unfolded at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara – a venue known for rewarding strong middle-overs batting.
The Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune is technically Maharashtra’s home ground, which makes Vidarbha’s 10-wicket demolition there even more significant. Winning comprehensively away from home, in Ranji Trophy cricket, against a side playing on familiar surfaces, speaks to genuine quality rather than home-conditions dependency. The Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara, by contrast, was neutral territory for both sides during the Vijay Hazare Trophy semifinal, and its true, batting-friendly surface explains why the match produced 691 combined runs rather than a low-scoring bowling contest.
Current Domestic Season Context
Heading into the 2025-26 domestic season, Vidarbha remain active in Ranji Trophy Elite Group A, while Maharashtra continue competing in the same Elite tier structure – keeping the possibility of another Vidarbha vs Maharashtra knockout collision alive.
Vidarbha’s recent form has included a comfortable 100-run win over Odisha and continued strong showings from their core group across formats, while Maharashtra suffered a heavy setback of their own, being bowled out for just 179 in one recent fixture during the same Ranji Trophy season. Neither side has been drawn against the other directly in confirmed 2025-26 fixtures as of this writing, but both remain firmly in contention within their respective groups, which keeps a future meeting plausible in the knockout rounds.
Tactical Breakdown: What Separates These Two Sides
Vidarbha’s tactical edge over Maharashtra in recent meetings has come from disciplined bowling execution in the middle overs and superior top-order batting depth, while Maharashtra’s competitiveness stems from strong death-overs hitting and a settled middle order built around experienced campaigners.
Bowling Strategy and Execution
In both recent fixtures, Vidarbha’s bowling attack showed a clear pattern: strike early or apply sustained pressure through the middle overs rather than relying on a single standout spell. Nalkande and Bhute’s combined six-wicket haul in the Vijay Hazare semifinal wasn’t about individual brilliance – it was about consistently taking wickets at moments when Maharashtra needed to accelerate, forcing risk that led directly to dismissals.
Batting Approach and Intent
Vidarbha’s batting philosophy under both Fazal and Nair has leaned toward controlled aggression – building a platform first, then accelerating once wickets in hand allow for it. That approach produced 552 in the Ranji Trophy innings and 380 in the Vijay Hazare semifinal, in both cases setting totals that were simply too steep to chase down comfortably.
Where Maharashtra Can Close the Gap
Maharashtra’s chase in Vadodara showed genuine fight, but the required run rate climbing past 7.6 runs per over midway through the innings proved the difference between competing and winning. For Maharashtra to flip this fixture in future meetings, their middle-order batters will need to accelerate earlier rather than relying on a late surge against tightening bowling plans.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current head-to-head record between Vidarbha and Maharashtra?
Vidarbha and Maharashtra have split their two most recent verified meetings 1-1 since 2023, though Vidarbha’s win came by a significantly larger margin.
Who won the last Vidarbha vs Maharashtra match?
Vidarbha won the most recent meeting, defeating Maharashtra by 69 runs in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 semifinal at Vadodara.
Where did Vidarbha beat Maharashtra by 10 wickets?
Vidarbha secured a 10-wicket win over Maharashtra in a Ranji Trophy Elite match at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune in February 2024.
Who scored centuries for Vidarbha in the Vijay Hazare Trophy semifinal against Maharashtra?
Yash Rathod (116) and Dhruv Shorey (114) both scored centuries for Vidarbha in the January 2025 semifinal victory.
What is Vidarbha’s home ground?
Vidarbha play their home matches at the Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) Stadium in Nagpur.
What is Maharashtra’s home ground?
Maharashtra’s primary home venue is the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune.
How many Ranji Trophy titles has Vidarbha won?
Vidarbha have won the Ranji Trophy twice, in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons, both under Faiz Fazal’s captaincy.
Has Vidarbha won the Vijay Hazare Trophy?
Yes, Vidarbha won their maiden Vijay Hazare Trophy title during the 2025-26 season, following a runner-up finish the previous year.
Who captains Vidarbha and Maharashtra in recent matches?
Karun Nair has led Vidarbha’s white-ball campaigns, while Ruturaj Gaikwad has captained Maharashtra in their recent Vijay Hazare Trophy fixtures.
Are Vidarbha and Maharashtra in the same Ranji Trophy zone?
No, Vidarbha represent the Central Zone while Maharashtra plays for the West Zone, meaning the two sides typically only meet through crossover scheduling or knockout stages.