SMAT: Ishan Kishan steers Jharkhand to maiden title

PUNE: Ishan Kishan has never needed a long runway to take off. The left-handed wicketkeeperbatter, who last featured for India in a T20I in 2023, chose the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final to make a loud, timely statement — with a remarkable century that turned the title clash between Jharkhand and Haryana into a one-sided finish.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The match was watched by national selectors Pragyan Ojha, Ajay Ratra and RP Singh and Ishan’s innings came just in time, putting him in the conversation ahead of the squad selection for the T20 World Cup. Kishan also finished as the leading run-scorer and top six-hitter in the tournament.

Kishan’s last T20I saw him getting out for a duck against the Aussies, but the Jharkhand skipper proved he still had the ability to deliver under pressure with an innings that delighted the 2000-strong crowd here.

Led by Kishan’s explosive knock, Jharkhand crushed Haryana by 69 runs at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium.Haryana, asked to chase 263, were bowled out for 193 in 18.3 overs. The win delivered Jharkhand their first Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy crown and only their second domestic title overall after the Vijay Hazare Trophy triumph in 2010-11.Kishan’s 101 off 49 balls (6x4, 10x6) set the tone. It was a knock that blended control with belligerence, as he kept taking the bowlers’ lengths away and clearing the ropes with ease.

Even after Virat Singh fell early, Kishan stayed in overdrive. His defining act was a record 177-run partnership with Kumar Kushagra, who matched him shot for shot in a blistering 81 off 38 (8x4, 5x6).Haryana finally broke the stand when Sumit Kumar knocked Kishan over. Samant Jakhar removed Kushagra soon after, but the damage was already irreparable. Anukul Roy (40* off 20) and Robin Minz (31* off 14) finished the innings with a late surge that left Haryana staring at a mountainous chase.The chase never truly settled. Jharkhand’s left-arm seamer Vikash Singh struck early, and with Sushant Mishra providing pace and bounce, Haryana were pushed into a scramble from the start. Yashvardhan Dalal briefly threatened to make it a contest, smashing a 19-ball fifty on his way to 53 off 22 (5x6), while Nishant Sindhu (31 off 15) joined the counterpunch.But Roy’s left-arm spin shut the door. He dismissed both Dalal and Sindhu in quick succession, cutting off the chase’s only real momentum. Jakhar (38 off 17) and the lower order swung hard, but the target was always out of reach as Jharkhand kept taking wickets.Brief scores: Jharkhand 262/3 (Kishan 101, Kushagra 81, Anukul 40*, Minz 31*) beat Haryana 193 (Yashvardhan 53, Jakhar 38, Mishra 3-27, Anukul 2-42) by 69 runs.