NEWS
Follow UsSenior India international stars, Hardik Pandya and Mohammed Shami, had contrasting outings on the first day of the premier domestic T20 tournament in India, the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2024/25. While Hardik smashed a quickfire 74, Shami had his most expensive day in his SMAT history. Coincidentally, both players were playing their first match in the tournament today (November 23) since the 2016 edition.
A forgetful day for Shami
Bengal defeated Punjab by four wickets but the major highlight of the day in Rajkot, Mohammed Shami had a forgetful day. He was hit for 1/46 in his four overs, his most expensive playing a SMAT fixture. Earlier, his 3/39 against Karnataka, way back in 2013, was his most expensive spell.
Shami took some beating from the explosive pair of Abhishek Sharma and Prabhsimran Singh in the powerplay. In the first over of the match, Abhishek hit the 34-year-old for two sixes. In Shami’s subsequent over, Prabhsimran looted 18 runs with two fours and a six.
Shami returned to pull his economy back in the death overs, conceding only 16 runs while bowling the 17th and the 19th over. In the 17th over, right after taking the wicket of Nehal Wadhera, Shami was hit for a six by Arshdeep Singh.
Despite an expensive day at the office, Shami maintained high intensity in his four-over spell with his final over turning out to be his best – only seven runs conceded. It is a positive sign regarding Shami’s match fitness. He bowled 44 overs in his only Ranji Trophy outing, where snapped seven wickets. That fixture marked the seamer’s return to competitive cricket after 11 months and now this SMAT holds key to Shami’s participation in India’s ongoing Test series in Australia in any capacity.
Bengal bowled Punjab out for 179 in 19.4 overs and Shahbaz Ahmed’s 49-ball 100* sailed Bengal through with an over to spare.
Hardik stars for Baroda
Hardi Pandya had a stellar day on his return to Baroda. He was a touch expensive while bowling first, conceding 1/37 in his four overs. However, he picked the important wicket of Aarya Desai (78 off 52 balls) in the 17th over.
Hardik made amends for his high economy rate quite alright with the bat. Walking out to bat in the 10th over, the right-hander smashed 74 off 35 deliveries with six fours and five sixes. His high strike rate of 211.4 finished the run chase in 19.3 overs as Baroda defeated Gujarat by five wickets.
Hardik has been in excellent batting touch since the 2024 T20 World Cup. He has 208 runs in nine innings post the victorious final at a strike rate of 149.6 and recently reclaimed his number spot in the ICC rankings for T20I all-rounders.
In other star attractions from this fixture, Axar Patel scored an unbeaten 43 off 33 for Gujarat and went for 0/31 in his four overs. Playing his first season with Gujarat, Ravi Bishnoi picked 2/23. Baroda’s skipper Krunal Pandya had a mixed day — 1/17 in two overs and 3 off six balls with the bat.
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