In a spectacular display of power-hitting, Ishan Kishan announced his return to form with a thunderous century, leading Jharkhand to a historic first Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title. The out-of-favour India wicketkeeper-batter demolished the Haryana bowling attack, setting up a commanding 69-run victory in the domestic T20 final on Thursday.
Kishan and Kushagra's Record-Breaking Stand
Asked to bat first, Jharkhand captain Ishan Kishan played an innings of sheer authority. He anchored the innings with a breathtaking 101 runs off just 49 deliveries. His knock was studded with 10 massive sixes and 8 fours, leaving the opposition bowlers hapless. Kishan found the perfect ally in Kumar Kushagra, who played a brilliant supporting role. The duo stitched together a match-defining partnership of 177 runs for the second wicket, which laid the foundation for a mammoth total.
While Kishan was the aggressor, Kushagra was equally destructive, scoring a rapid 81 from 38 balls. This relentless assault ensured Jharkhand posted a daunting 262 for 3 in their 20 overs, one of the highest totals in a domestic T20 final. Kishan brought up his century, his second of the tournament, in style with a one-handed six over extra cover.
Bowlers Seal Dominant Victory for Jharkhand
Chasing a colossal target, Haryana's innings never gained the required momentum. They suffered an early collapse, losing their captain Ankit Kumar and Ashish Siwach for ducks in the very first over. Wicketkeeper-batter Yashvardhan Dalal tried to stage a fightback with a fighting 53, and received support from Nishant Sindhu (31) and Samant Jakhar (38).
However, the asking rate was always out of reach. The Jharkhand bowling attack, led by medium-pacer Anukul Roy, kept taking wickets at regular intervals. Roy struck twice in a single over to remove both set batters, effectively ending Haryana's resistance. Left-arm pacer Sushant Mishra was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with impressive figures of 3 for 21. Haryana were eventually bowled out for 193 in 18.3 overs, handing Jharkhand a comprehensive win.
A Historic Triumph and National Implications
This victory marks a historic moment for Jharkhand cricket, as they become the 12th state team to lift India's premier domestic T20 trophy. The win was built on all-round contributions, with Anukul Roy also blasting 40 off 20 balls with the bat to provide a late flourish alongside Robin Minz (31 off 14).
For Ishan Kishan, this tournament has been a remarkable personal campaign. He finished as the leading run-scorer with 517 runs from 10 innings at a staggering strike rate of 197.32. His purple patch comes at a crucial juncture, with national selectors set to meet soon to finalize India's T20I squads for the upcoming series against New Zealand and the T20 World Cup. This century serves as a powerful reminder of his explosive talent and places him firmly back in the national selection conversation.
Brief Scores: Jharkhand 262/3 in 20 overs (Ishan Kishan 101, Kumar Kushagra 81; 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.
