Bihar vs Manipur Match Prediction

The Vijay Hazare Trophy Plate Final brings together unbeaten Bihar and second-placed Manipur at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi on January 6, 2026. Bihar topped the Plate Group with a perfect 5-0 record, including the world-record 574/6 against Arunachal Pradesh. However, there is a critical development: star batter Vaibhav Suryavanshi is unavailable, having departed for India U19 captaincy duties in South Africa.

Team Context and Recent Form

Bihar have been dominant, but context matters. Their record-breaking 574/6 came against weak opposition in Arunachal Pradesh. More telling is their league match against Manipur on December 26, which Bihar won by just 15 runs (284 vs 269/9). That narrow margin, with Suryavanshi in the side, suggests Manipur are competitive. Without Suryavanshi (who scored 221 runs at SR 235.1 in just two matches), Bihar lose significant firepower. Piyush Singh leads their run-scoring with 279 runs, while Sakibul Gani provides all-round value with his 128* off 40 balls and 4-wicket hauls. Manipur finished with 4 wins and 1 loss, their only defeat coming against Bihar. Langlonyamba Keishangbam tops their batting with 253 runs, while Pheiroijam Singh has been excellent with 13 wickets. Crucially, Bishworjit Konthoujam took a hat-trick against Bihar in the league phase.

Key Players to Watch

Our Prediction

Bihar remain favourites at 75% to win this final. They have the superior squad depth with Sakibul Gani, Piyush Singh, and Ayush Loharuka still available. Their bowling attack held Manipur to 269/9 in the league match. However, the absence of Vaibhav Suryavanshi narrows the gap significantly. The previous encounter was decided by just 15 runs, and finals bring added pressure that can level the playing field.

Betting Value

VALUE pick: Manipur @ 6.70 (+10.1% edge). The market prices Bihar at 1.08 (92.6% implied), which grossly overestimates their chances without Suryavanshi. We assess Bihar at 75%, making Manipur at 6.70 a significant value opportunity. At these odds, Manipur needs to win just 15% of the time to break even�we believe they win 25% of the time. This is a classic underdog value play: Bihar will likely win, but the odds do not reflect the true probability. Stake: 1.5 units on Manipur.