The Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy 2025-26 witnessed a historic bowling performance on Saturday as Madhya Pradesh's left-arm seamer Mohammed Arshad Khan etched his name into the tournament's record books. On a day dominated by bowlers, Arshad produced a sensational spell of 6 for 9, the best figures ever recorded in the competition's history.
Arshad Khan's Record-Breaking Spell
Playing against Chandigarh at the Jadavpur University ground in Kolkata, Arshad Khan decimated the opposition batting lineup. He broke the previous record of 6 for 13, which was jointly held by Hyderabad's D Ravi Teja and Gujarat's Arzan Nagwaswalla since October 2023. Arshad's devastating four-over spell set the stage for Madhya Pradesh's comprehensive victory.
Exploiting the early morning swing, the 27-year-old struck in his very first over. He dismissed opener Arjun Azad and captain Shivam Bhambri for ducks in the second over of the innings. He continued his rampage by removing Nikhil Thakur (4) in his next over, leaving Chandigarh reeling.
In a post-match conversation with The Indian Express, Arshad revealed his simple plan. "I wanted to bowl my natural ball. I wanted to try and get wickets with the early swing off the new ball," he said. He credited the clarity provided by captain Rajat Patidar and coach Chandrakant Pandit for his focused approach.
Arshad, who has played for Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL, also highlighted the influence of Gujarat Titans coach Ashish Nehra. "I was playing under an Indian coach for the first time in the IPL. I got a lot of clarity from him and learnt a lot of new things," he added.
Returning to bowl the 19th over, Arshad completed his record haul by taking the wickets of Gaurav Puri, Sanyam Saini, and Nikhil Sharma. His efforts restricted Chandigarh to 134 for 8. In reply, despite early setbacks, Madhya Pradesh chased down the target in just 14 overs, thanks to an unbeaten 74 from Harsh Gawali and a 48-run knock from Harpeet Singh.
Puducherry's Stunning Victory Over Bengal
In another major highlight of the day, Puducherry pulled off a stunning 81-run victory over Bengal at the Gymkhana Ground in Hyderabad. This stands as one of Puducherry's most significant wins in the tournament.
Captain Aman Khan led from the front with a blistering 74 off just 40 balls, an innings peppered with five fours and seven sixes. His explosive knock propelled Puducherry to a competitive total of 177 for 5 in their 20 overs.
The Bengal chase never gained momentum against a disciplined Puducherry bowling attack. Off-spinner Jayant Yadav was the chief destroyer, claiming 4 wickets for 28 runs in his four overs. He received excellent support from left-arm spinner Sidak Singh, who returned remarkable figures of 3 for 9 from his full quota, strangling the Bengal batters and sealing a famous win.
Thrillers and Other Key Results
The day was packed with nail-biting finishes across different venues. Gujarat edged past Himachal Pradesh by one wicket in a last-over thriller in Hyderabad. Chasing 194, contributions from Urvil Patel, Saurav Chauhan, and Aarya Desai kept Gujarat in the hunt. The match went down to the wire before Harshal Patel and Arzan Nagwaswalla held their nerve to secure the win and four crucial points.
In Ahmedabad, Saurashtra defeated Karnataka by the barest of margins—one run at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Karnataka, chasing 179, relied heavily on Devdutt Padikkal's 66 off 46 balls. However, his dismissal in the 13th over proved to be the turning point, as Saurashtra's bowlers applied consistent pressure to clinch a dramatic victory.
Other notable results from Saturday included:
- Mumbai comfortably beat Chhattisgarh by 8 wickets in Lucknow, with opener Prasad Mhatre scoring an unbeaten 69.
- Punjab, powered by captain Abhishek Sharma's 62 off 34 balls, posted a massive 233 for 6 to defeat Services by 73 runs in Hyderabad.
In a personal milestone during the Punjab match, Abhishek Sharma became the first Indian batter to hit 100 or more T20 sixes in a single calendar year. His innings included three sixes, taking him past the landmark.
The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy continues to be a platform for emerging talents and dramatic cricketing action, with bowlers and batters alike making their mark on the national stage.
