Haryana bulldozed Hyderabad by 124 runs in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025 clash to set up final date with Jharkhand, scheduled to be held on December 16. This win was powered by explosive batting performances from skipper Ankit Kumar and Samant Jakhar, complemented by excellent bowling spells delivered by Amit Rana and Anshul Kamboj. With this result, Haryana solidified their position at the top of Group A in the Super League with two wins and one loss, pushing Hyderabad to second place due to an inferior net-run-rate.
Haryana crush Hyderabad to reach Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final
After Hyderabad won the toss and elected to field first, Haryana put on a massive total of 246/7 on the board. The innings was anchored by two sensational half-centuries, Captain Ankit Kumar hammered 57 off just 27 balls (including one four and six sixes), while Samant Jakhar was even more devastating, smashing 60 off only 22 balls (featuring one four and eight sixes). A rapid cameo from Parth Vats, who scored 45 off 19 balls (with two fours and three sixes), further propelled the total. Hyderabad's best bowlers were skipper T Thyagarajan (2/43) and Ajay Dev Goud (2/66).
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In response, Hyderabad's chase faltered quickly and dramatically. Only Rahul Buddhi, who scored 37 off 24 balls (with two fours and two sixes), managed to cross the 20-run mark as the entire team was skittled out for a meagre 122 in just 16.1 overs. The damage was inflicted by a combined bowling effort from Haryana. Amit Rana led the attack with figures of 3/14, while Anshul Kamboj (2/16) and Samant Jakhar (2/16), who completed a remarkable all-round performance, contributed crucial wickets to seal the comprehensive victory.
Jharkhand make it to SMAT final despite losing to Andhra Pradesh
In another semifinal, aremarkable all-round performance from Nitish Kumar Reddy powered Andhra Pradesh to a narrow nine-run victory against the strong Jharkhand side in a Super League Group A match. Reddy was deservedly named Player of the Match for his efforts, which also served to end Jharkhand's impressive nine-match winning streak in the tournament. Despite the loss, Jharkhand ultimately secured their progression to the finals by topping Group A over Andhra Pradesh. Both teams finished with the same win-loss record, but Jharkhand's superior net-run-rate proved decisive.
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In pursuit of the imposing target, Jharkhand's chase began promisingly with Captain Ishan Kishan (35 off 18 balls, including seven boundaries) and Virat Singh forging a commanding 88-run opening partnership. Singh was the chief aggressor, compiling a superb 77 runs off 40 deliveries with the help of four boundaries and seven sixes. However, despite a contribution of 25 runs from Robin Minz, Jharkhand lost momentum in the latter stages and were restricted to 194/8 in their 20 overs, falling short by just nine runs. With the ball, Nitish Kumar Reddy completed his fantastic all-round day by taking 2/32, and he was well-supported by Saurabh Kumar's effective spell of 2/21.