Prithvi Shaw Slams 23-Ball Fifty In First SMAT Match As Maharashtra Captain

Out-of-favour India batter Prithvi Shaw, who failed to find any buyer in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction last year, is playing his first Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) match as Maharashtra captain on Friday (November 28) in Kolkata against Hyderabad. In the match taking place at JU Second Campus in Salt Lake, the 26-year-old right-handed batter from Mumbai opened the innings in the 192-run chase and needed just 23 balls to complete his maiden half-century in the premier domestic T20 tournament for his new team.

The half-century in 23 balls is also a special one for Shaw, as the ongoing match is his first as captain of Maharashtra in SMAT 2025, and he is playing a captain’s knock. So far, Shaw, who has played in the IPL for Delhi

Capitals, has hammered 8 fours and 2 sixes. He completed his half-century by taking a single on the second ball of the ninth over.

Shaw, who is one of the five Indians to win the U19 World Cup as captain, would now look to convert his half-century into a big knock and help his side chase down the target of 192 runs as soon as possible.

In Maharashtra’s first match of the ongoing T20 tournament, Shaw was only able to score five runs from five balls against Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday (November 26), and his side suffered a humiliating defeat by 5 wickets. In that match, Ruturaj Gaikwad was leading Maharashtra.

Shaw was appointed as Maharashtra captain after Gaikwad was included in India’s ODI squad for the upcoming three-match series against South Africa. Gaikwad, who last played for India in a T20I match against Zimbabwe in Harare on July 13, 2024, earned an ODI call-up after scoring one century (117) and one half-century (68*) for India A in the three unofficial ODIs against South Africa A in Rajkot this month.

Shaw impressed in Ranji

Shaw, who left Mumbai and joined Maharashtra ahead of the start of the 2025-26 domestic season, impressed with his batting performances in the first half of the Ranji Trophy as well. He has played five Ranji matches for Maharashtra this season and, with the help of one double century and three fifties, has amassed a total of 470 runs in seven innings.