Jharkhand Secures Historic Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Victory Over Haryana
Jharkhand's Historic Win in SMAT Final
Pune (Maharashtra) [India], December 18: Jharkhand has made history by winning their inaugural Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) title at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, triumphing over Haryana by 69 runs. The team, led by captain Ishan Kishan's remarkable century, set a staggering total of 262/3, marking the highest score ever recorded in a T20 tournament final, before their bowlers effectively dismantled Haryana's batting lineup.
After Haryana's captain Ankit Kumar opted to field first, Jharkhand faced an early setback when Anshul Kamboj dismissed Virat Singh in the opening over. However, the partnership between Ishan Kishan and Kumar Kushagra turned the game around.
Kishan, who last played internationally in November 2023, made a strong statement to selectors with a blistering 45-ball century, finishing with 101 runs. He dominated the Haryana bowlers, hitting 10 sixes and six fours. Kushagra provided excellent support, scoring a rapid 81 off just 38 balls.
With this century, Kishan became only the second player to score a hundred in a SMAT final, following Punjab's Amolpreet Singh (113 against Baroda in SMAT 2023-24), and the first captain to achieve this milestone. He also set a new record for the most sixes in a single SMAT final innings.
Late contributions from Anukul Roy (40 off 20) and Robin Minz (31* off 14) propelled Jharkhand to their record total of 262/3. For Haryana, leading wicket-taker Anshul Kamboj struggled, conceding 51 runs in four overs.
In pursuit of 264 runs, Haryana needed a strong start but faced disaster as Vikash Singh took two wickets in the first over, dismissing captain Ankit Kumar and Ashish Siwach for ducks.
Yashvardhan Dalal offered a brief spark of hope with a stunning performance, reaching fifty in just 19 balls before being dismissed for 53 off 22. Nishant Sindhu added 31 runs, but the mounting pressure proved too much for the Haryana batsmen.
Jharkhand's Anukul Roy shifted the momentum with two key wickets in the 10th over, leading to a collapse in Haryana's middle and lower order. Sushant Mishra and Bal Krishna also contributed crucial wickets, ultimately restricting Haryana to 193 runs, falling short by 69 runs.
This victory marks Jharkhand's first-ever triumph in the prestigious domestic T20 tournament, placing them among the elite Indian domestic champions. For Ishan Kishan, this century was his fifth in SMAT, tying the record for the most centuries in the tournament and solidifying his reputation as one of India's most explosive white-ball players.