Out-of-favour India wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan delivered a powerful reminder of his T20 credentials, hammering a stunning century to lead Jharkhand to their first-ever Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title with a dominant 69-run win over Haryana on Thursday. Kishan produced a breathtaking display of power-hitting, smashing 101 off just 49 balls, including 10 towering sixes and eight fours. His onslaught propelled Jharkhand to a massive 262 for 3, a total that proved far beyond Haryana’s reach.
After the batters set the tone, Jharkhand’s bowlers ensured there was no late twist. Medium-pacer Anukul Roy struck twice in his very first over, setting the tone for a disciplined bowling effort. Haryana were eventually bowled out for 193, despite a fighting half-century from wicketkeeper-batter Yashvardhan Dalal, who top-scored with 53. Roy also made a telling contribution with the bat, blasting 40 off just 20 deliveries, adding valuable late momentum to Jharkhand’s innings. With this victory, Jharkhand became the 12th state to lift India’s premier domestic T20 title, marking a historic moment for the team. Asked to bat first, captain Kishan anchored the innings with authority, stitching together a match-defining 177-run partnership for the second wicket with Kumar Kushagra. While Kishan dominated the bowling, Kushagra played the perfect supporting role, striking a rapid 81 off 38 balls to keep Haryana under constant pressure. The hundred was Kishan’s second of the tournament. The 27-year-old enjoyed a remarkable campaign, finishing as the leading run-scorer with 517 runs from 10 innings at an explosive strike rate of 197.32. His purple patch has come at a crucial time, with national selectors set to meet soon to finalise India’s T20I squad for the upcoming series against New Zealand and the T20 World Cup. Kishan brought up his century in style, launching a one-handed six over extra cover, before being clean bowled by Sumit Kumar in the 15th over. Kushagra followed him back to the pavilion in the very next over. Late flourishes from Anukul and Robin Minz, who chipped in with 31 off 14 balls, ensured Jharkhand finished strongly. Haryana’s chase never truly gathered momentum. They suffered a nightmare start, losing captain Ankit Kumar and Ashish Siwach for ducks to slump to 2 for 1. Dalal attempted to revive hopes, adding 34 runs with opener Arsh Ranga and later forging a 67-run stand with Nishant Sindhu, who scored 31. However, Anukul decisively swung the match Jharkhand’s way by dismissing both set batters in the same over, effectively ending Haryana’s resistance. Brief scores: Jharkhand 262/3 in 20 overs (Ishan Kishan 101, Kumar Kushagra 89; Sumit Kumar 1/41) beat Haryana 193 all out in 18.3 overs (Yashvardhan Dalal 53, Samant Jakhar 38; Sushant Mishra 3/21) by 69 runs.
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