Jharkhand captain Ishan Kishan delivered a memorable performance in the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025, with a stunning century to lead his team to a historic victory against Haryana
at the MCA Stadium in Pune.
Kishan led by example on the biggest stage, becoming only the second player to score a hundred in a SMAT final and the first captain to achieve this feat. More than his individual milestones, Kishan’s praise for his teammates stood out.
Summarising Jharkhand’s success, Kishan emphasised the discipline and trust within the group, noting that “most importantly, they were listening to me”.
How Jharkhand Beat Haryana To Maiden SMAT?
After Jharkhand opted to bat first, their innings faced an early setback when Virat Singh was dismissed in the opening over by Anshul Kamboj. However, Kishan quickly took control, launching a fierce counterattack alongside Kumar Kushagra. The pair played with freedom and confidence, making the early setback a distant memory through clean hitting and relentless pressure on the Haryana bowlers.
Kishan reached his half-century off just 24 balls and continued at a breathtaking pace to score his sixth T20 century from only 45 deliveries, sealing the milestone with a towering six off Anshul Kamboj. In doing so, he equalled Abhishek Sharma’s record for the most centuries in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy history, registering his fifth overall. This was also his second hundred of the tournament, following an unbeaten 113 against Tripura earlier in the season.
His innings ended in the 15th over when Sumit Kumar bowled him for a scintillating 101 off 49 balls. Kishan’s knock included 10 sixes and six fours, setting several records, including the most sixes ever hit in a SMAT final. Kumar Kushagra played a crucial supporting role with a rapid 81 off 38 balls, helping Jharkhand reach a staggering 262/3 in 20 overs — the highest team total in any T20 tournament final, surpassing Italy’s 244 against Romania.
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After being named Player of the Match, Kishan credited the collective effort behind Jharkhand’s success. He attributed their success to the love and support from his teammates and highlighted their aggressive approach even at the risk of losing wickets. He praised Kushagra’s impact, stating that Kushagra made it easier for him by scoring freely and confidently from the other end.
“Looking at the tournament, we were going for the big shots even if we lose wickets, unfortunately, we lost Virat Singh early, but we were looking to score runs. It is difficult to chase in a final. KK made it easier for me, he was scoring freely and confidently from the other end,” he said.
Kishan also noted that the batters were given the freedom to play their shots and bat positively and also appreciated the support staff for their constant backing.
“We had a chat at the beginning, we gave the batters freedom to play their shots and bat positively. It was a very good pitch to bat on, especially in the first innings and it helped us put such a big total on the board. Lot of support from the supporting staff, if any batter was not doing well then they were there cheering him on, it was a pretty good tournament for us,” Kishan said.
Reflecting on the bowlers and all-round performances across the tournament, Kishan concluded: “All of them had their nerves on the rope, Vikash getting early wickets, Anukul picking 18 wickets and Sushant being the highest wicket-taker, but most importantly, they were listening to me.”
(With inputs from Agencies)
