Kishan and Kushagra propel Jharkhand to Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Victory

Ishan Kishan's dominant performance throughout the 2025-26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy culminated in a match-winning century in the final, as Jharkhand secured their first T20 title by defeating Haryana by 69 runs in Pune. His form puts him firmly back in contention for a spot in the T20I team.

Jharkhand, after being put in to bat, amassed a formidable 262 for 3, which is the highest score ever recorded in a T20 tournament final. The foundation of the innings was a 177-run partnership for the second wicket between Kishan and Kumar Kushagra. Kishan scored a blistering 101 off 49 balls, while Kushagra contributed a rapid 81 from 38 deliveries. The dismissal of both batsmen in quick succession provided Haryana with a brief respite during an innings that included 20 sixes.

In their chase, Haryana's top order collapsed early, losing three wickets within the powerplay. That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. Yashvardhan Dalal (53) and Nishant Sindhu (31) offered some resistance, keeping Haryana's hopes alive briefly. But once they were both dismissed, leaving the score at 104 for 5 at the halfway stage, Jharkhand were in control. Haryana were eventually bowled out for 193 in the penultimate over.

Kishan's Powerplay Onslaught

Haryana's Anshul Kamboj provided an early breakthrough, dismissing Virat Singh in the first over. That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. Kishan then took over, launching six sixes during the powerplay. His aggressive batting propelled Jharkhand to 69 for 1 and brought up the fifty partnership with Kushagra in just 27 balls.

Kishan showcased a wide array of shots, punishing anything short with powerful pulls. He also dispatched full deliveries from Ishant Bhardwaj down the ground. Haryana turned to spin early, but Amit Rana's three overs cost 48 runs. Kishan's sixes in the powerplay helped him surpass Salil Arora's record for the most sixes in the tournament (28).

Kushagra Joins the Attack

Kumar Kushagra, who had been instrumental in Jharkhand's journey to the final with three consecutive half-centuries, ensured there was no lull after the powerplay. He attacked Sumit Kumar, one of Haryana's leading seamers, hitting him for three fours in the seventh over.

While Kishan relied on power, Kushagra impressed with his cover drives and his ability to quickly assess the length of the ball. He reached his half-century in just 29 balls.

Minz and Anukul Finish Strong

Haryana missed a chance to dismiss Kishan when Sumit Kumar failed to hold on to a return catch. Kishan, then on 71, went on to complete his century off 47 balls before being dismissed.

Even after losing both Kishan and Kushagra, Jharkhand maintained their scoring rate, thanks to Anukul Roy and Robin Minz. Anukul struck 40 off 20 balls, while Minz added 31 not out from 14 deliveries, which included three sixes. They added 75 runs in the final 29 balls.

Haryana's Brief Fightback

Haryana's chase started poorly, but Yashvardhan Dalal counter-attacked with a rapid half-century off 19 balls. Nishant Sindhu also contributed with 31 before being dismissed. Anukul Roy's ability to extract turn from the surface helped Jharkhand, with the 4:30 pm start negating the effect of dew. Sushant Mishra impressed with his bowling, taking 3 for 27. Bal Krishna secured the victory by dismissing Ishant Bhardwaj.