Historic Ton by Ishan Kishan: First Captain to Hit Hundred in SMAT Final

Ishan Kishan continued his stellar run in domestic cricket with a rapid century for Jharkhand in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025 final against Haryana at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Thursday, December 18.

Jharkhand’s innings got off to a shaky start after Virat Singh was dismissed in the first over by Anshul Kamboj. Kishan, however, wasted no time in shifting gears. Batting with Kumar Kushagra, the Jharkhand captain launched a sustained assault on the Haryana bowling attack.

Kishan surged to 46 by the end of the powerplay, repeatedly clearing the long-on boundary as Haryana’s bowlers persisted with full-length deliveries. Amit Rana bore the brunt of the attack, conceding 19 runs in the eighth over that included three fours and a six.

While Kishan briefly dialled down the aggression, Kushagra ensured the momentum was not lost, and the partnership crossed 150 runs. Kishan then brought up his hundred in the 14th over with a one-handed slog over the covers, underlining his dominance.

The innings unfolded in the presence of BCCI selectors Pragyan Ojha and RP Singh, lending added significance to the knock. Kishan was eventually dismissed by Sumit Kumar, who deceived him with a slower delivery into the blockhole.

Key Stats

• Kishan became only the second batter after Anmolpreet Singh to score a century in an SMAT final and the first captain to do so
• The 177-run stand between Kishan and Kushagra is the highest partnership in an SMAT final and the seventh-highest in the tournament overall
• Kishan now shares the record for most SMAT centuries (5) with Abhishek Sharma
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