Jharkhand captain Ishan Kishan smashed a 49-ball 101 in the final of the 2025/26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, at Gahunje.
Anshul Kamboj removed Virat Singh with the fourth ball of the final after Ankit Kumar won the toss and opted to field. However, Kishan and Kumar Kushagra began to score at breakneck speed, taking Jharkhand to 69-1 by the end of the powerplay.
Kishan hit six sixes in his first fifty, which took him a mere 24 balls, while Kushagra needed 29. Both batters continued to make merry, and Kishan eventually brought up his hundred from 45 balls. This was only the second century in a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final, after Anmolpreet Singh’s 113.
Kishan eventually fell for a 49-ball 101, the second-highest score in a SMAT final. His 10 sixes are the most in a final by some distance: no one has hit even seven. He also hit six fours. The pair added 177, yet again, the highest partnership for any wicket in a SMAT final.
Kushagra followed soon, for a 38-ball 81 (eight fours, five sixes), the fifth-highest SMAT final individual score.
At the time of writing, Jharkhand were 241-3 – already the highest team total in a SMAT final – in 18.4 overs with Anukul Roy (30 in 14) and Robin Minz (23 in 11) at the crease.
Final, Haryana vs Jharkhand
vs
- Ball by ball Over
Highest scores in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy finals
| Scores | Batter | Team | Opposition | Venue | Season |
| 113 (61) | Anmolpreet Singh | Punjab | Baroda | Mohali | 2023/24 |
| 101 (49) | Ishan Kishan | Jharkhand | Haryana | Gahunje | 2025/26 |
| 85* (57) | Mayank Agarwal | Karnataka | Maharashtra | Indore | 2018/19 |
| 81* (40) | Rajat Patidar | Madhya Pradesh | Mumbai | Bengaluru | 2024/25 |
| 81 (38) | Kumar Kushagra | Jharkhand | Haryana | Gahunje | 2025/26 |
Kishan also became the fourth cricketer to bring up 500 runs in a single edition of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He eventually finished at third place, and Kushagra (422) at 11th.
Most runs in a season in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy
| Runs | SR | Batter | Season |
| 580 | 176 | Devdutt Padikkal | 2019/20 |
| 536 | 130 | Rohan Kadam | 2018/19 |
| 517 | 197 | Ishan Kishan | 2024/25 |
| 510 | 183 | Riyan Parag | 2023/24 |
| 485 | 193 | Abhishek Sharma | 2023/24 |
It is worth a mention that with 448 runs, Haryana’s Ankit Kumar is at seventh place, and has a considerable chance of rising up the ranks on the above table.
