Hyderabad’s Retaliation and UP’s Seamless Victory in SMAT 2025-26 Group B Clash

Rahul Buddhi’s precise half-century and captain C.V. Milind’s three-wicket performance led Hyderabad to a five-wicket victory over Madhya Pradesh in the opening Elite Group-B match of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 tournament at Jadavpur University Ground, Kolkata, on Wednesday.

Madhya Pradesh opted to bat and posted 144 for nine. Hyderabad chased down the target comfortably with 11 balls remaining, avenging last year’s close defeat.

Despite an early setback where Hyderabad lost three wickets for 41 runs within five overs, Rahul (59 not out, 46 balls, 8 fours, 1 six) played responsibly, forming a crucial 59-run partnership off 49 balls with Tanay Thyagarajan (18 runs, 19 balls, 1 four).

Facing a challenging pitch with low bounce, the duo focused on strike rotation to extend the match. Rahul showcased his skill with a sequence of off-driven four, a pulled six, and another four off former Mumbai Indians teammate Arshad Khan in the 12th over. Following Tanay’s dismissal in the 13th over, Rahul saw his team through to victory, supported by Arfaz Khan’s useful cameo (18 not out, 13 balls, 2 fours, 1 six).

In an earlier innings, Milind marshaled his fellow fast bowlers, including C. Rakshann and Arfaz, who each claimed two wickets, limiting Madhya Pradesh’s batting progress. Regular wickets dented Madhya Pradesh’s innings, with several batsmen, including Venkatesh Iyer, falling due to poor shot selection. Shivang Kumar stood out with a resilient 45 off 28 balls, featuring five fours and a six.

Elsewhere, Aryan Juyal’s superb timing and shot placement delivered an unbeaten 93 off 57 balls, lifting Uttar Pradesh to a comfortable six-wicket win over Goa. Pacer veterans Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/23) and Shivam Mavi (3/24) spearheaded the Uttar Pradesh bowling attack to restrict Goa to 172 for nine.

At Eden Gardens, Auqib Nabi’s three wickets helped Jammu and Kashmir secure a comprehensive five-wicket victory against Maharashtra, who were bundled out for 130. Yudhvir Singh, Umran Malik, and Abid Mushtaq, who later contributed 18 runs from nine balls, took two wickets each.

The scores:

• At Eden Gardens: Maharashtra 130 in 19.5 overs (Auqib Nabi 3/28) lost to Jammu and Kashmir 132/5 in 18.4 overs.
• At Jadavpur University Ground: Goa 172/9 in 20 overs (Abhinav Tejrana 72, Shivam Mavi 3/24) lost to Uttar Pradesh 173/4 in 18.2 overs (Aryan Juyal 93 not out, Sameer Rizvi 38); Madhya Pradesh 144/9 in 20 overs (Shivang Kumar 45, C.V. Milind 3/34) lost to Hyderabad 145/5 in 18.1 overs (Rahul Buddhi 59 not out).

Published on Nov 26, 2025