Kishan Century, Kushagra Blitz Power Jharkhand to Maiden SMAT Title

Ishan Kishan capped a dominant 2025–26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaign with a stunning match-winning century as Jharkhand clinched their maiden T20 title, thrashing Haryana by 69 runs in the final in Pune.

Kishan, who finished the tournament as the leading run-scorer and the most prolific six-hitter, produced a breathtaking 49-ball 101 in the summit clash to underline his return to top form and push his case back into T20I contention. He was ably supported by Kumar Kushagra, whose explosive 38-ball 81 helped Jharkhand post a record-breaking 262 for 3 after being put in to bat — the highest total ever recorded in a T20 tournament final.

The foundation of Jharkhand’s imposing total was a brutal 177-run second-wicket partnership between Kishan and Kushagra. Their dismissals, just five balls apart, offered Haryana a brief respite in an innings that featured a staggering 20 sixes.

In reply, Haryana were always chasing the game. Early wickets in the powerplay put them on the back foot, and although Yashvardhan Dalal and Nishant Sindhu briefly revived hopes with aggressive counterattacking knocks, the target proved far beyond reach. Once both batters were dismissed to leave Haryana at 104 for 5 midway through the innings, the contest became a formality. Haryana were eventually bowled out for 193 in the penultimate over.

Jharkhand’s innings took off despite an early setback when Virat Singh was dismissed in the first over. From there, Kishan unleashed a ferocious powerplay assault, smashing six sixes in the first six overs as Jharkhand surged to 69 for 1. His clean striking punished both pace and spin, with Haryana’s bowlers struggling to find answers in the absence of Yuzvendra Chahal, who missed the final due to illness.

While Kishan dominated with his power and range, Kushagra ensured there was no let-up after the powerplay. Coming into the final after modest scores in his previous two outings, Kushagra played with intent from the outset, striking elegantly through the covers and behind square. He brought up his half-century off just 29 balls, maintaining relentless pressure on the Haryana attack.

Kishan went on to raise his century off 47 balls before falling shortly after, but Jharkhand’s momentum never dipped. Anukul Roy and Robin Minz provided a powerful finish, adding 75 runs off the final 29 balls. Anukul struck 40 off 20 deliveries, while Minz remained unbeaten on 31 from 14 balls, taking Jharkhand beyond the 260 mark.

Haryana’s chase began disastrously at 3 for 2, but Dalal’s sensational 19-ball half-century and Sindhu’s fluent 31 briefly reignited belief. However, Jharkhand’s bowlers, led by Anukul Roy and Sushant Mishra, kept control as the pitch offered just enough assistance in the afternoon start to negate heavy dew. Mishra finished with 3 for 27, while Bal Krishna also claimed three wickets, sealing the win and sparking jubilant celebrations as Jharkhand lifted their first Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

The emphatic victory not only delivered Jharkhand their maiden SMAT crown but also marked a defining moment in Kishan’s resurgence, capping off one of the most dominant individual campaigns in the tournament’s history.