Vijay Hazare Trophy 2015 - What each team requires to qualify for quarter finals

Yuvraj Singh has been the highest scorer for Punjab, who will fight to make it to the last 8

After two weeks of hard-fought action between the 27 teams of India, we have reached the final day of the league stage of the 2015 Vijay Hazare Trophy. On Friday, a number of crucial encounters are going to be played across the country, to decide which 8 teams make it through to the quarter-final stage of India’s premier domestic 50-over competition.

This year’s edition of the Vijay Hazare Trophy has been even more special with the appearances of high-profile India internationals like MS Dhoni, and there have been a lot of eyes on proceedings also because it is the last chance for players to impress selectors before the Australian tour and World T20 early in 2016.

Friday is bound to end the campaigns of quite a few players like Mohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja and Cheteshwar Pujara, whose teams stand no chance of qualifying for the knockout stages.

It is also ironic that the two highest run-scorers in the tournament till now, Kedar Jadhav and Aditya Waghmode, will probably play their last match of the tournament, with their teams Maharashtra and Baroda set to be knocked out on the final day of round-robin action.

MS Dhoni’s Jharkhand and Suresh Raina’s Uttar Pradesh are the only teams to have qualification assured already. Ambati Rayudu’s Baroda have played all their matches, but will be following the action closely, because favourable results might still see them through.

Twelve more teams go into the final day of action with a chance of qualifying for the quarter-final matches, which will be played in Bangalore next week. A look at what each team needs to reach the last 8:

Group A still lies wide open, with a number of possibilities on the final day indicating that this has been the proverbial ‘Group of Death’. Two matches have become virtual knockout matches, with both Tamil Nadu and Punjab on 16 points, and Rajasthan and Services on 12.

Ravichandran Ashwin’s Tamil Nadu will take on Pankaj Singh’s Rajasthan in Secunderabad, while Yuvraj Singh’s Punjab will take on underdogs Services in Hyderabad.

However, what makes the equation even more intriguing in this group is that Mumbai, despite being on 12 points, are well placed to qualify from the group too. The star-studded team have a superior run rate, and are favourites to win their last group match against struggling Hyderabad. However, if both TN and Punjab claim wins, then Mumbai is out.

Mumbai look likely to go through from Group A, and either of Tamil Nadu or Punjab look likely to accompany them, owing to superior net run rate.

Teams likely to go through – Mumbai, Tamil Nadu/Punjab

Group B has been topped by Jharkhand with 20 points, who have played all their matches and await the remaining quarter-finalists to be decided. Karnataka, who have been champions of the Vijay Hazare Trophy for the past two years, find their 2015 campaign in danger of an early end.

After the early Ranji Trophy exit this year, the defending champions would be putting their best foot forward against Jammu and Kashmir in Bangalore, to ensure a similar disappointment does not come to pass in the 50-over tournament as well.

However, Karnataka, who are on 12 points, will go out even if they win, in case Parthiv Patel’s Gujarat win their match against Kerala, to be played in the same city. Axar Patel, with 8 wickets and 161 runs, has been the standout performer in Gujarat’s season.

Teams likely to go through – Jharkhand, Gujarat

A win assures Delhi of a place in the last 8

Group C is undecided, but with scales tipped in favour of Delhi and Vidarbha, who are both on 16 points, to finish as the two best teams. S Badrinath’s Vidarbha, who have seen 30-year-old Faiz Fazal and Umesh Yadav emerge as spearheads with bat and ball, will be taking on Kedar Jadhav’s Maharashtra, who are on 12.

Delhi are also on 16 points, but have an inferior run rate to second placed Baroda in the group. Gautam Gambir’s Delhi, who also have Shikhar Dhawan in their ranks, have had a difficult season, but what gives them a good chance of making it through is that they have a match in hand over Baroda, and are up against struggling Andhra Pradesh at home.

Baroda, who are also on 16 points, will go through only if Andhra manage to pull an upset against Delhi.

Teams likely to go through – Vidarbha, Delhi

Group D has been topped by Uttar Pradesh, who have put in an all-round show to convincingly outplay the other five teams in this group. Young players like Umang Sharma and Shubham Chaubey have been UP’s stars with the bat, while veterans like Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Piyush Chawla have played their part well.

The second spot from Group D will be decided in a match between Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, both of whom are on 12 points. This match, to be played at Rajkot, also offers to be a cracking encounter, with everything on the line.

Teams likely to go through – Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh/Madhya Pradesh

Teams already eliminated – Hyderabad, Assam, Haryana, Kerala, Railways, J&K, Andhra, Odisha, Tripura, Saurashtra, Bengal, Goa.