This weekend, India’s largest domestic ODI cricket tournament will begin its 29th season. With 38 teams from across the nation competing in a jam-packed schedule of 50-over cricket across the course of three weeks, cricket fans are in for an absolute feast of action here.
Five-time champions Tamil Nadu head into the tournament eager to score a record-extending sixth win, Himachal Pradesh are out to show that their victory last season was no fluke. At the same time, Mumbai arrived in hot form from their Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy win last week.
We preview the bookies’ favorites ahead of the group stage beginning and give our playoff predictions for those who plan to choose odds and bet on the Vijay Hazare Trophy matches.
| Tournament: | Vijay Hazare Trophy 2022/23 (ODI format), Indian domestic cricket league |
| Venues: | Stadiums in Kolkata, Bangalore, New Delhi, Mumbai, and Ranchi, with finals in Ahmedabad |
| Date: | Saturday 12 November to Friday 2 December |
| Schedule: | Round robin November 12-23 for group matches; finals November 26 to December 2 |
Looking ahead to this tournament, we can break down who some of the sides predicted to perform are. Based on last year’s performance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2021 and the recent Mushtaq Ali Trophy and general squad strength, here are our three favorites to be winners this year:
Those betting on cricket will know that last year’s beaten finalists Tamil Nadu narrowly missed out on making the recent Syed Mushtaq Trophy quarterfinals, finishing third in their group. They will be eager to bounce back and claim another title this year but will have to deal with last year’s Vijay Hazare Trophy winner Himachal Pradesh and an in-form Mumbai team. These three are the champion favorites regarding odds and betting on the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2022/23.
The Vijay Hazare Trophy is India’s premier ODI domestic tournament, having first begun in 2002. Bookmakers in India have this event among the major ones, along with the Syed Mushtaq, Ranji Trophies, and, of course, the Indian Premier League.
Teams from India’s different states compete, typically taking three weeks to play out. Historically it has taken on various formats, with the BCCI adjusting the structure again for the 2022 edition.
This year, qualification will occur as follows:
Over the past five years, here are the teams that have won the Vijay Hazare Trophy:
While Tamil Nadu has not won since 2016-17, they are the most decorated side competing, with five titles. Surely, the odds on the safest sports betting sites for Tamil Nadu are among the lowest for the upcoming Vijay Hazare 22/23.
Here’s a look at the make up of Group A in the Vijay Hazare Trophy:
| Team | Predicted Finish in Group |
|---|---|
| Hyderabad | Fifth |
| Manipur | Last |
| Saurashtra | Runner up |
| Tripura | Seventh |
| Chandigarh | Sixth |
| Uttar Pradesh | Third |
| Gujarat | Fourth |
| Himachal Pradesh | Winner |
Group A is one of the stronger groups in this tournament, with five teams who have made at least the semifinals since 2016. Only Manipur is looking like it will be uncompetitive. Uttar Pradesh made the final the season before last and will give the group favorites a run for their money. It gives plenty of opportunities for punters to catch high odds for the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2022 group stage.
Last year’s winners head into this pool technically seeded second but favorites to top the pool. With an all-rounder, Rishi Dhawan, captaining the side in 2022-23, odds for Himachal Pradesh will be among the lowest in group A.
Not only did Himachal Pradesh win the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2021-22, but they have also shown good form recently in white ball cricket. Just last week, they made the Mushtaq Ali Trophy final, losing to Mumbai by three wickets. Maybe it’s time to use one of the no-deposit bonuses to pop up the wallet?
The men from Saurashtra were dominant in last year’s Vijay Hazare Trophy and will look to go one better this year to make their first final in five years. That’s a pretty interesting long-run betting tip.
Last season, Saurashtra cleared round-robin play with a 100% win record and headed into this pool seeded No.1. They were unlucky not to make the final, scoring 310 in their semifinal against Tamil Nadu, who chased it down in the final over with two wickets remaining.
They were also beaten in the last over by two wickets ten days ago in the Syed Mushtaq Trophy quarterfinals and will be eager not to provide their fans with more close losses in this tournament. All it makes the odds for Saurashtra to make playoffs pretty low, while in particular matches, they can be more interesting.
Here’s a look at the make up of Group B in the Vijay Hazare Trophy:
| Team | Predicted Finish in Group |
|---|---|
| Karnataka | Winner |
| Meghalaya | Seventh |
| Rajasthan | Runner up |
| Sikkim | Last |
| Assam | Sixth |
| Vidarbha | Third |
| Delhi | Fifth |
| Jharkhand | Fourth |
Other than Karnataka, no teams in Group B have shown consistency over recent years in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. This makes it a tricky pool to predict—three teams are entering in good form, however, with Delhi, Karnataka and Vidarbha all making the Mushtaq Ali Trophy postseason. Expect Karnataka to be group toppers, with Rajasthan and Vidarbha vying for runner-up, and odds confirm such a prediction.
Karnataka have won four of the past ten Vijay Hazare Trophies and will be eager to rekindle that same form this season. Karnataka’s odds of being an outright winner in the season 2022/23 are among the lowest.
With their last title coming in 2019-20, they showed good form in the Syed Mushtaq Trophy, making the quarterfinals. Though they were beaten, they scored over 200 and looked primed for a deep run in the Vijay Hazare Trophy this year. Betting in Karnataka is one of the most reliable tips for this event.
The recent domestic T20 tournament was not Rajasthan’s strongest, as the side won 3/7 and did not make the playoffs. It makes their chances of getting deep in Vijay Hazare not so high, but interesting in terms of odds.
However, their ODI game is a little stronger, and Rajasthan enters this pool second-seeded. Last season in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, they went 4-1 in pool play, exiting at the quarterfinal stage. With Indian spinner Ravi Bishnoi available on their side, they should be a threat.
Here’s a look at the make up of Group C in the Vijay Hazare Trophy:
| Team | Predicted Finish in Group |
|---|---|
| Chhattisgarh | Fourth |
| Goa | Fifth |
| Haryana | Sixth |
| Kerala | Runner Up |
| Andhra | Third |
| Tamil Nadu | Winner |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Last |
| Bihar | Seventh |
Tamil Nadu is the big name in Group C, while Haryana, Kerala, and Chhattisgarh were all in good touch in the recent T20 season. This has the potential to be a volatile group, however, as Goa and Andhra have been known to cause upsets. It will give enough high odds for Group C matches.
It’s been a while between drinks for Tamil Nadu, who holds the record for most Vijay Hazare Trophy titles, with five. Of course, the odds for their win in 2022 are among the lowest but most reliable ones, giving opportunities to convert free bets into real profit.
Last season they beat the finalists and suffered in the Mushtaq Ali Trophy, narrowly missing the postseason. With former Indian representative Washinton Sundar and T Natarajan on the side, expect Tamil Nadu to come out firing in pursuit of a sixth title this year.
Recently, Kerala made the preliminary quarterfinals of the Syed Mushtaq Trophy after finishing 5-2 in pool play. It forces betting tipsters to keep an eye on this time in the longer ODI format during Vijay Hazare 2022.
They will be eager to build on this and go further in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. In 2021-22, they made the quarterfinals, and as the second seed in this pool, they will want to challenge Tamil Nadu for the top spot.
Here’s a look at the make up of Group D in the Vijay Hazare Trophy:
| Team | Predicted Finish in Group |
|---|---|
| Madhya Pradesh | Runner Up |
| Nagaland | Last |
| Odisha | Third |
| Punjab | Winner |
| Uttarakhand | Sixth |
| Baroda | Fourth |
| Jammu and Kashmir | Fifth |
Only one of the teams drawn in Group D made the post-season of the Vijay Hazare Trophy last season, with Madhya Pradesh losing to Uttar Pradesh in the preliminary quarterfinals. However, with Punjab and Uttarakhand in decent form, this could be a tight race for the top spot with Punjab and Uttarakhand in proper form.
Having fallen just short in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy semifinals last week, Punjab is the form team in this group. They have never won the Vijay Hazare Trophy, having made the final twice in 2014-15 and 2002-03, but will be eyeing a deep run this season. Betting on Punjab on the group stage is a reliable tip for the tournament’s 2022 draw.
Last season, Madhya Pradesh claimed a preliminary quarterfinal spot but could not capitalize. As the group’s No.1 seed this year, they will be eager to do the same and go one better. With fast bowler Avesh Khan spearheading their attack, they should push Punjab for the top spot in Group D. The odds for their victories on the group stage sound like a tip not to miss while betting online.
Here’s a look at the make up of Group E in the Vijay Hazare Trophy:
| Team | Predicted Finish in Group |
|---|---|
| Mizoram | Last |
| Mumbai | Winner |
| Puducherry | Fifth |
| Railways | Sixth |
| Services | Fourth |
| Bengal | Third |
| Maharashtra | Runner up |
Group E may well be the toughest pool in the tournament. Mumbai is fresh off a win in the Syed Mushtaq last week and has won the Vijay Hazare Trophy twice in the last five years. Bengal made the quarterfinals, and Maharashtra is also a strong team in their own right, putting the odds even for group clashes pretty high.
Cricket is alive and well in Mumbai, with the side winning the Mushtaq Ali Trophy and this event’s silverware multiple times recently. Every punter should look at them as a betting pick throughout the Vijay Hazare 2022 cricket tournament.
With a packed batting lineup featuring Ajinkya Rahane, Shivam Dube, and Prithvi Shaw, expect Mumbai to bounce back from their poor season last year and win this group comfortably.
In the 2021-22 Vijay Hazare Trophy, Maharashtra won four and lost one in group play, yet could not secure a quarterfinal berth. The side will be frustrated and eager for redemption this year and has also not made the Syed Mushtaq playoffs in 2022. This should put the odds for Maharashtra look both interesting and winning.
Looking over previous Vijay Hazare Trophy 2022 fixtures & results, as well as recent form and squad composition for the 2022-23 Vijay Hazare Trophy, here are our favorites to bet on throughout the tournament:
With a tightly contested Vijay Hazare Trophy playing out over the next three weeks, there are plenty of opportunities for free bets on cricket bet apps. Whether you’re planning to make a wager on your 2022 Vijay Hazare Trophy favorites from our BetZillion’s platform or tune into the live stream and enjoy some quality domestic cricket, there’s a lot to be excited about over the coming weeks in India cricket.
