Jharkhand Secures Historic Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Victory Over Haryana
Jharkhand's Historic Triumph in SMAT
Jharkhand achieved a remarkable milestone by winning their inaugural Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) title at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, defeating Haryana by a significant margin of 69 runs. The team's captain, Ishan Kishan, played a pivotal role, scoring a historic century that propelled Jharkhand to an impressive total of 262/3, marking the highest score ever recorded in a T20 tournament final. Their bowlers then effectively dismantled Haryana's batting lineup.
Kishan's Record-Breaking Performance
After Haryana's captain Ankit Kumar opted to bat 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 transformed the game. Kishan, who last played internationally in November 2023, made a strong statement to selectors with a blistering 45-ball century, finishing with 101 runs. His innings included 10 sixes and six fours, while Kushagra contributed a rapid 81 runs off 38 balls.
With this century, Kishan became the second player to score a century in a SMAT final, following Amolpreet Singh's 113 against Baroda in the 2023-24 season, and he is the first captain to achieve this feat. Additionally, he set a new record for the most sixes in a SMAT final. Late contributions from Anukul Roy (40 off 20) and Robin Minz (31* off 14) helped Jharkhand reach their record total of 262/3. Anshul Kamboj, the tournament's leading wicket-taker, struggled, conceding 51 runs in four overs.
Haryana's Struggles in the Chase
Facing a daunting target of 264, Haryana needed a strong start but instead encountered disaster as Vikash Singh took two wickets in the first over, dismissing both captain Ankit Kumar and Ashish Siwach for ducks. Yashvardhan Dalal provided a brief spark, scoring a rapid fifty in just 19 balls before being dismissed for 53 off 22 deliveries. Nishant Sindhu added 31 runs, but the mounting pressure proved too much for the Haryana batsmen.
Anukul Roy turned the match around for Jharkhand with two crucial wickets in the 10th over, leading to a collapse in Haryana's middle and lower order. Sushant Mishra and Bal Krishna also contributed by taking key wickets, ultimately restricting Haryana to 193 runs, falling short by 69 runs.
Jharkhand's First T20 Title
This victory signifies Jharkhand's first-ever triumph in the prestigious domestic T20 tournament, placing them among the elite Indian domestic champions. For Ishan Kishan, this century marked his fifth in SMAT history, tying the record for the most centuries in the tournament and solidifying his reputation as one of India's most explosive white-ball cricketers.