Post by : Mariam
Al-Faris
Ayush Mhatre continued his impressive rise in top-level cricket by scoring a brilliant 110 off 53 balls for Mumbai, helping the team secure a strong win over Vidarbha. Mumbai chased the target of 193 comfortably, winning with 13 balls to spare and seven wickets in hand. This was Mhatre's first T20 century, featuring eight fours and eight sixes.
Earlier in the day, Mhatre was named India Under-19 captain for the Asia Cup, adding to the significance of his performance. His innings laid a solid foundation for the chase, while Suryakumar Yadav scored 35 off 30 balls and Shivam Dube added 39 off 19 balls to finish the match. Mhatre’s century also made him the youngest player, at 18 years and 135 days, to score hundreds in first-class, List-A, and T20 formats, breaking Rohit Sharma’s record. He is also the third-youngest to score a men’s T20 century, after Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Vijay Zol.
Dube also contributed with the ball, taking 3 wickets for 31 runs from four overs. He has now taken four wickets in seven overs across two matches, showing his all-round skills.
Meanwhile, Prithvi Shaw led Maharashtra to their first win in the tournament with a sparkling 66 off 36 balls in his captaincy debut. Maharashtra chased down 192 against Hyderabad with eight balls remaining. Arshin Kulkarni played an unbeaten 89 off 54 balls, anchoring the chase and ensuring a comfortable victory.
Kerala, on the other hand, struggled against Railways, losing by 32 runs while chasing 150. Sanju Samson, who had scored a half-century in the opening match, managed just 19 off 25 balls. Rohan Kunnummal, who had made an unbeaten 121 in the previous game, scored only 8 this time.
In another exciting match, Haryana beat Punjab in a Super Over after a thrilling contest. Punjab had set 208, with Anmolpreet Singh scoring a rapid 81 off 37 balls. Yuzvendra Chahal played a crucial role with the ball, taking two quick wickets. Haryana needed just one run in the Super Over to win and secured the victory with a boundary on the first ball. Nishant Sindhu top-scored for Haryana with 61 off 32 balls in regular play.
Venkatesh Iyer showed his talent for Madhya Pradesh with an unbeaten 55 off 34 balls, helping his team chase 175 and beat Bihar by 62 runs. Fourteen-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi is also making his mark despite low scores in two matches. Baroda, however, suffered two defeats in a row, with Jitesh Sharma struggling to score, making just 4 and 5 in consecutive games. Adil Ayub Tunda impressed for Puducherry by taking 4 wickets for 30 runs.
The SMAT 2025 tournament is shaping up to be an exciting event, with young stars like Mhatre, Suryavanshi, and Dube emerging as key players. Their performances are attracting attention from cricket fans and talent scouts alike.
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