Overview
- Rao finished unbeaten on 200 from 154 balls with 12 fours and 13 sixes, reaching the double with a last‑ball six in Rajkot.
- His knock powered Hyderabad to 352/5 and became the highest individual List A score by a Hyderabad batter, the ninth Vijay Hazare double and the season’s second after Swastik Samal’s 212.
- Facing Mohammed Shami, Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep, Rao scored 120 runs off the pace trio, including eight sixes.
- Key stands included 104 with opener Rahul Singh Gahlaut and 87 with captain Tilak Varma to keep Hyderabad in control throughout the innings.
- Hyderabad later bowled Bengal out for 245, with Mohammed Siraj taking 4/58, as Rao’s breakout comes weeks after Rajasthan Royals signed him at the IPL 2026 auction for ₹30 lakh.