Ishan Kishan breaks records and silence after taking Jharkhand to Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title

There was a time when Ishan Kishan was a consistent fixture in the Indian team. He was part of the 2023 ODI World Cup as well.

The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) final offered Ishan Kishan the perfect stage, and he made sure it was unforgettable. With a blazing century at the top of the order, the Jharkhand captain dismantled Haryana’s bowling and led his side to a landmark first title. It was a fitting finish to a tournament where Kishan dominated the summit clash and announced that he eyes a marquee return to the international side.

In a final where both Jharkhand and Haryana were chasing their first T20 crown, the contest was decided long before the second innings could settle. Jharkhand piled on a staggering 262 for 3 at the MCA Stadium in Pune, and Haryana never truly recovered, eventually being bowled out for 193 to lose by 69 runs. Jharkhand’s 262 is the highest a team has scored in any T20 tournament final. Let that sink in.

Ishan Kishan scripts history

Haryana’s decision to bowl first backfired almost immediately. Opening the innings, Kishan launched a brutal assault on the bowling, reaching his hundred in just 45 balls. His 101 came off 49 deliveries and was laced with six fours and ten towering sixes, including a one-handed swipe over cover.

Kishan found a perfect ally in Gujarat Titans’ Kumar Kushagra, and together they stitched a record 177-run partnership for the second wicket. Kushagra’s 81 ensured the run rate never dipped, while late cameos from Anukul Roy (40 not out off 20) and Robin Minz (31 not out off 14) pushed Jharkhand beyond reach.

The final total was, of course, the highest ever in a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final. Kishan’s innings also broke records. It was his sixth T20 century, his fifth in SMAT history, equalling Abhishek Sharma’s record, and his second hundred of the tournament. Kishan hammered a total of 33 sixes in the tournament, ending up as the leading six-hitter after Salil Arora (28) and Abhishek Sharma (26). And what about the fact that all these three players will turn up for the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) after the Orange Army bought Arora at IPL 2026 auction.

Chasing 263, Haryana were on the back foot almost instantly, slipping to 1 for 2 inside the opening over. Yashvardhan Dalal’s counter-attacking 53 offered brief resistance, but the required run rate kept climbing.

Jharkhand’s bowlers stayed disciplined throughout. Sushant Mishra and Bal Krishna picked up three wickets each, while Anukul Roy and Vikash Singh chipped in with two apiece to shut the door on any late surge. Haryana were bowled out in 18.3 overs, sealing Jharkhand’s first-ever domestic T20 title.

Kishan opens up after long India exile

After the celebrations, Kishan finally spoke about the difficult phase he endured after falling out of favour with the Indian team.

“When I was not selected in the Indian team, I felt quite bad because I was doing well. But I told myself that if I am not selected with this sort of performance, then maybe I have to do more. Maybe I have to make my team win. Maybe we have to do well as a unit,” Kishan said as quoted by SportsStar.

Reflecting on the title, he called it the proudest moment of his career. “It is definitely the happiest moment, because we have never won domestic tournaments under my captaincy. And this was something where you had to prove yourself.”

Ishan Kishan, who only found his way back into BCCI’s central contract earlier this year, has found his voice back. Although the likes of Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer are ahead in the T20I pecking order, Kishan’s performance has forced selectors to take notice of him. Kishan has led Jharkhand to a title run that saw them win all of their matches. Well, as a batter, Kishan is also having a great Ranji Trophy season, having scored 246 runs at an average of 82 so far.

Ishan Kishan SMAT stats

• Runs: 517
• Innings: 10
• Average: 57.44
• Strike rate: 197.33