Kishan, Kushagra power Jharkhand to maiden SMAT title

Riding on skipper Ishan Kishan's blazing century, Jharkhand etched their name into the history books by clinching their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title with a commanding 69-run victory over Haryana at the MCA Stadium in Pune. In a high-stakes final where both teams were chasing their first-ever domestic T20 crown, Jharkhand's batting powerhouse proved far too strong, as they amassed a monumental 262/3 before clinical bowling restricted Haryana to 193 in reply.

The foundation for Jharkhand's success was laid by Kishan, who delivered a captain's knock for the ages. Winning the toss and opting to bowl proved costly for Haryana as Kishan took their bowling attack to the cleaners. Opening the innings, Kishan smashed a whirlwind century in just 45 deliveries, peppered with 6 fours and 10 towering sixes.

Kishan found an equally aggressive partner in Kumar Kushagra, and together the duo orchestrated a record-breaking 177-run partnership for the second wicket. Kushagra's 81 was a masterclass in power-hitting too, ensuring the momentum never shifted. Late cameos from Anukul Roy (40* off 20 balls) and Robin Minz (31* off 14 balls) propelled Jharkhand to a mammoth total, leaving the Haryana bowlers, including Anshul Kamboj and Sumit Kumar, with expensive figures.

Faced with a daunting target of 263, Haryana's chase got off to a disastrous start as they were reduced to 1/2 within the first over. Yashvardhan Dalal offered a glimmer of hope with a defiant half-century, scoring 53 at a rapid pace. However, the lack of support from the other end and the mounting required run-rate forced the Haryana batters into risky strokes.

Jharkhand's bowlers maintained their discipline throughout the second innings; Sushant Mishra and Bal Krishna were the pick of the lot, claiming three wickets each to dismantle any chance of a comeback. Anukul Roy and Vikash Singh also contributed with two wickets apiece as Haryana were eventually bowled out for 193 in the penultimate over.

Brief scores: Jharkhand 262/3 in 20 overs (Ishan Kishan 101, Kumar Kushagara 81; Sumit Kumar 1-41) beat Haryana 193 all out in 18.3 overs (Yashvardhan Dalal 53, Samant Jakhar 38; Sushant Mishra 3-27, Bal Krishna 3-38) by 69 runs