Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2020/21: Day 1 - Matches Round-Up; Points Table

India’s domestic cricket season finally started on Sunday (10th January) since the halt due to COVID-19 pandemic in last March. It was totally an eventful day where a total of 18 teams from three different groups started their journey in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2020/21.

Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2020/21: Day 1 – Matches Round-Up

Elite Group A

Karnataka vs Jammu & Kashmir at Bengaluru – defending champions started in expected fashion

Toss: Jammu & Kashmir won the toss and chose to field first

The defending champions Karnataka began their journey in this new Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy season with a 43-run victory. After losing the toss, Karnataka scored 150/5 (20 overs). Struggling on 73/4, Karnataka wicket-keeper batsman Krishnan Shrijith and Aniruddha Joshi put the crucial 65 runs partnership for the fifth wicket. While Shrijith was their highest scorer with 48 not out off 31 balls, Joshi scored 29 runs.

Among the Jammu & Kashmir bowlers, captain Parvez Rasool (2/18) and Aquib Nabi (2/30) have taken two wickets each.

In reply, Jammu & Kashmir were bundled out for just 107 runs in 18.4 overs. Only Abdul Samad (30) and Shubham Pundir (20) managed to reach the 20-run marks while the openers were the only other batsmen to manage double-digit scores in that chasing. While all Karnataka bowlers managed to pick at least one wicket, Prasidh Krishna finished with the bowling figures of 3.4-0-34-3. Also, Abhimanyu Mithun (2/24), Jagadeesha Suchith (2/17) and Krishnappa Gowtham (2/13) got two wickets each.

Brief Scores: Karnataka – 150/5 in 20 overs (Krishnan Shrijith 48, Aniruddha Joshi 29; Parvez Rasool 2/18); Jammu & Kashmir – 107 in 18.4 overs (Abdul Samad 30, Shubham Pundir 20; Prasidh Krishna 3/34).

Result: Karnataka won by 43 runs

Punjab vs Uttar Pradesh at Bengaluru – Suresh Raina, Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s heroic comebacks just failed to inspire Uttar Pradesh

Toss: Punjab won the toss and chose to bat first

Opener and wicket-keeper batsman Prabhsimran Singh (43) and middle-order batsman Anmolpreet Singh (35) helped Punjab to manage the first innings total of 134/7 (20 overs). Returning to the professional cricket after IPL injury, the Indian pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar got three wickets for 22 runs in four overs quota.

In reply, after the openers provided a better start with 33 runs partnership, only Suresh Raina managed to control Uttar Pradesh innings. While it was his first recognized cricket match since the IPL 2019 final, Raina scored fighting 56 not out off 50 balls. However, Uttar Pradesh only managed to score 123/5 (20 overs) as Punjab won by 11 runs.

Punjab pacer Siddarth Kaul also returned to the game in this match and had the bowling figures of 4-0-28-2.

Brief Scores: Punjab – 134/7 in 20 overs (Prabhsimran Singh 43, Anmolpreet Singh 35; Bhuvneshwar Kumar 3/22); Uttar Pradesh – 123/5 in 20 overs (Suresh Raina 56*, Dhruv Jurel 23; Siddarth Kaul 2/28)

Result: Punjab won by 11 runs

Tripura vs Railways at Bengaluru – Mrunal Devdhar and Karn Sharma guided Railways to victory

Toss: Railways won the toss and chose to field first

Milind Kumar’s 61 not out off 40 balls hugely helped Tripura to manage the first innings total of 170/3 (20 overs). However, opener Mrunal Devdhar’s 61 not out off 50 balls and captain Karn Sharma’s 45 off 29 balls (1 four and 5 sixes) guided Railways to chase that target with three balls remaining of the match after losing four wickets.

Brief Scores: Tripura – 170/3 in 20 overs (Milind Kumar 61*, Bishal Ghosh 36; Karn Sharma 1/23); Railways – 173/4 in 19.3 overs (Mrunal Devdhar 61*, Karn Sharma 45; Sankar Paul 3/17)

Result: Railways won by 6 wickets

Elite Group B

Bengal vs Odisha at Kolkata – Ishan Porel thrashed Odisha

Toss: Bengal won the toss and chose to field first

Bengal pacer Ishan Porel dominated the first innings as Odisha were bundled out for just 113 runs (20 overs). Ishan had the bowling figures of 4-0-26-4. Apart from the middle-order batsmen Rajesh Dhuper (37) and Ankit Yadav (32), only the opener Aditya Rout (11) managed to reach the double-digit scores in the Odisha innings.

In reply, Bengal easily reached the target in just 12.2 overs after losing only their opener and wicket-keeper batsman Shreevats Goswami (25). While the other opener Vivek Singh scored a half-century (54 not out off 35 balls), Suvankar Bal was not out for 34 runs.

Brief Scores: Odisha – 113 in 20 overs (Rajesh Dhuper 37, Ankit Yadav 32; Ishan Porel 4/26); Bengal – 114/1 in 12.2 overs (Vivek Singh 54*, Suvankar Bal 34*; Govinda Poddar 1/10)

Result: Bengal won by 9 wickets

Jharkhand vs Tamil Nadu at Kolkata – C Hari Nishanth and Dinesh Karthik secured a strong victory for Tamil Nadu

Toss: Jharkhand won the toss and chose to field first

Tamil Nadu opener C Hari Nishanth (92 not out off 64 balls; 8 fours and 3 sixes) finished the first innings with just eight runs short from his first T20 century. Also, captain Dinesh Karthik played a crucial firing knock of 46 runs off just 17 balls (3 fours and 4 sixes). Those scores helped Tamil Nadu to manage the first innings total of 189/5 (20 overs).

In reply, Jharkhand were restricted to 123/7 (20 overs) as Tamil Nadu started this new SMAT season with a 66-run victory. T20 debutant pacer Sonu Yadav had the bowling figures of 4-0-31-3 for Tamil Nadu.

Brief Scores: Tamil Nadu – 189/5 in 20 overs (C Hari Nishanth 92*, Dinesh Karthik 46; Rahul Shukla 2/27); Jharkhand – 123/7 in 20 overs (Anand Singh 28*, Virat Singh 23; Sonu Yadav 3/31)

Result: Tamil Nadu won by 66 runs

Assam vs Hyderabad at Kolkata – Riyan Parag, Pritam Das became heroes in the thrilling victory for Assam

Toss: Hyderabad won the toss and chose to field first

When Assam struggling on 57/4, the middle-order batsmen Riyan Parag (51*), Saahil Jain (31) and Rajjakuddin Ahmed (31 not out off 15 balls) inspired their side to manage the first innings total of 159/5 (20 overs).

In reply, Hyderabad batsmen failed to play long innings. Though the late batsmen tried hard (Ravi Teja 24 off 11 balls; Tanay Thyagarajan 21 not out off 9 balls), Pritam Das’ brilliant 20th over defended 11 runs for Assam. As Hyderabad finally managed to score 157/8, Assam won by just 2 runs. Pritam Das finished the game with the bowling figures of 4-0-30-3, who successfully defended 4 runs on the last ball.

Brief Scores: Assam – 159/5 in 20 overs (Riyan Parag 51*, Rajjakuddin Ahmed 31*; Kartikeya Kak 3/42); Hyderabad – 157/8 in 20 overs (Himalay Agarwal 29, Ravi Teja 24; Pritam Das 3/30)

Result: Assam won by 2 runs

Elite Group C

Gujarat vs Maharashtra at Vadodara – Arzan Nagwaswalla 6-wicket haul destroyed Maharashtra

Toss: Maharashtra won the toss and chose to field first

Five 20+ knocks, including the highest scorer of Gujarat, skipper Azar Patel (30), helped Gujarat to manage the challenging first innings total of 157/8 (20 overs). Later, the 23-year-old left-arm pacer Arzan Nagwaswalla became the third bowler to claim 6-wicket haul in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy history as he finished with the bowling figures of 3.3-0-19-6. His bowling efforts destroyed Maharashtra batting line-up for just 128 runs (19.3 overs) as Gujarat won by 29 runs.

Brief Scores: Gujarat – 157/8 in 20 overs (Axar Patel 30, Ripal Patel 29; Mukesh Choudhary 3/33); Maharashtra – 128 in 19.3 overs (Naushad Shaikh 31, Ruturaj Gaikwad 26; Arzan Nagwaswalla 6/19)

Result: Guajarat won by 29 runs

Chhattisgarh vs Himachal Pradesh at Vadodara – Amandeep Khare’s one-man show couldn’t help Chhattisgarh to make successful chase

Toss: Chhattisgarh won the toss and chose to field first

Opener Ravi Thakur’s 53 runs and middle-order batsman Ekant Sen’s 38 not out off 18 balls (2 fours and 3 sixes) helped Himachal Pradesh to set up a strong challenging T20 first innings total of 173/5 (20 overs). In reply, only Amandeep Khare batted strongly for Chhattisgarh. While he was not out on 87 runs off 60 balls (5 fours and 5 sixes), the second highest score in that innings was just 11 (Vishal Kushwah). In that second innings, Rishi Dhawan had the bowling figures of 4-0-29-3.

Brief Scores: Himachal Pradesh – 173/5 in 20 overs (Ravi Thakur 53, Ekant Sen 38*; Vishal Kushwah 3/18); Chhattisgarh – 141/8 in 20 overs (Amandeep Khare 87*, Vishal Kushwah 11; Rishi Dhawan 3/29)

Result: Himachal Pradesh won by 32 runs

Baroda vs Uttarakhand at Vadodara – Baroda captain Krunal Pandya’s all-round show edged out Uttarakhand

Toss: Uttarakhand won the toss and chose to field first

While Baroda were struggling in the early period of the match (41/3), captain Krunal Pandya (76 off 42 balls) and wicket-keeper batsman Smit Patel (41) took the team to a good first innings total of 168/7 (20 overs). In reply, Uttarakhand were also struggling (67/5), but the middle-order batsmen Dikshanshu Negi (77 not out) and Kunal Chandela (48) make the game very interesting.

While skipper Krunal Pandya had the bowling figures of 4-0-33-2 and Atit Sheth (2/42) also got two wickets, Baroda just managed to claim a 5-run victory as they restricted Uttarakhand to 163/6 (20 overs).

Brief Scores: Baroda – 168/7 in 20 overs (Krunal Pandya 76, Smit Patel 41; Akash Madhwal 3/16); Uttarakhand – 163/6 in 20 overs (Dikshanshu Negi 77*, Kunal Chandela 48; Krunal Pandya 2/33)

Result: Baroda won by 5 runs

Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2020/21: Day 1 – Points Tables

Elite Group A

Elite Group B

Elite Group C