Kerala kicked off their Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 2025 campaign in style as they bulldozed Odisha by 10 wickets thanks to a powerful century from Rohan S Kunnummal and a crucial supporting knock from captain Sanju Samson.
Kunnummal's ton, Samson's fifty help Kerala bully Odisha
Chasing Odisha’s target of 176/7, the Kerala openers comfortably chased the total down with 21 balls to spare. Kunnummal was the primary aggressor, smashing an unbeaten 121 off just 60 balls at a strike rate exceeding 201, an innings punctuated by 10 sixes and 10 boundaries. His partner, India international Samson, played a modest yet effective anchor role, finishing unbeaten on 51 off 41 balls, sealing the match and his half-century with a solitary six in Lucknow on Wednesday.
Earlier, Odisha's innings was built primarily around Captain Biplab Samantaray's 53. However, Kerala's bowlers were effective, with pacer M D Nidheesh starring with 4/35, supported by Asif K M who claimed 2/24. This dominant T20 start provides a much-needed boost for Kerala, who have been struggling in the Ranji Trophy with no wins in their five outings. The return of skipper Sanju Samson, who missed most of the first-class season due to international commitments, appears to have immediately galvanised the squad. Samson recently made headlines with a high-profile switch in the IPL, moving from the Rajasthan Royals to the Chennai Super Kings.
Prithvi Shaw, Ruturaj Gaikwad falter in Maharashtra's losing cause
In another match, Prithvi Shaw failed to deliver with the bat for Maharashtra in the Elite Group B match against Jammu and Kashmir. Shaw was dismissed by Auqib Nabi for a run-a-ball five. Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad also failed to provide any stability, bowing out early as the entire Maharashtra innings sank without a fight, eventually bundling out for a mere 130 in 19.5 overs at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The bowlers' subsequent efforts were ultimately in vain. While Maharashtra's attack, featuring Arshin Kulkarni (1-24), Rajvardhan Hangargekar (2-32), and Prashant Solanki (2-29), managed to take wickets, they could not prevent Jammu and Kashmir from successfully chasing the total. The opposition notched up the winning runs in the penultimate over (18.4) with five wickets in hand. This five-wicket defeat caused Maharashtra to slip to the fourth spot on the SMAT 2025-26 Group B points table.