SMAT 2025-26: Abhishek Sharma’s strong form continues, while Ishan Kishan delivers a powerful statement with a match-winning ton.
The third round of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025/26 saw some blistering knocks from the batters. From Abhishek Sharma to Ishan Kishan, the top-class India batters smashed glorious knocks contributing for their respective teams.
Heading into the T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka, the co-hosts will love to have some strong back-ups in the 15-member squad.
Let’s take a look at how the third round of the SMAT 2025-26 unfolded for notable players
Abhishek Sharma continues to shine as Ishan Kishan knocks selectors’ door
Abhishek, playing for Punjab against Bengal in Hyderabad, notched up a 12-ball half-century. It became the joint-third-fastest and joint-second-fastest by an India player in men’s T20 cricket. The southpaw equaled his mentor Yuvraj Singh’s record that he achieved during the 2007 T20 World Cup against England. Nepal’s Dipendra Singh Airee leads the chart with a nine-ball half-century against Mongolia.
Opening the batting with Prabhsimran Singh, Abhishek took apart a bowling attack headlined by Mohammed Shami and Akash Deep. He scored at well over 15 runs an over against both the national pacers besides whacking both Saksham Choudhary and Writtick Chatterjee.
The 25-year-old hit five boundaries and five sixes to get to his fifty. The knock featured only one dot ball in the 12 balls he faced to get to the landmark. He took 20 more deliveries to achieve the century, which became the joint-fourth-fastest among India players in men’s T20s. Sahil Chauhan’s 27-ball century for Estonia against Cyprus stands tall at the top of the table.
Abhishek Sharma finished with a fine knock of 148 runs in just 52 balls at a strike rate of 284.62. It was decorated with eight boundaries and 16 sixes. Punjab finished with 310/5 in their allotted 20 overs, as Prabhsimran got 70 runs in just 35 deliveries. Punjab’s score was the second highest in the SMAT history, behind Baroda’s 349/5 against Sikkim in Indore in December 2024. Punjab went on to win the contest by 112 runs.
Apart from that clash, the eyes were on the Narendra Modi Stadium’s B Ground in Ahmedabad where Jharkhand locked horns with Tripura. In the 183-run chase, Ishan Kishan remained unbeaten on 113 runs in 50 balls at a strike rate of 226. Opening the batting, the left-handed batter got 10 boundaries and eight sixes as Jharkhand completed the chase by eight wickets with 15 balls to spare.
Kishan was not consistent with the bat in the previous IPL 2025 for the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). He started with a cracking century against the Rajasthan Royals but experienced a struggling mid-season with the bat. The southpaw ended with 354 runs in 13 innings at an average of 35.40 and a strike rate of 152.58.
His unbeaten 113 will give assurance to the BCCI selectors. At the moment, the selection committee have Jitesh Sharma and Sanju Samson in the wicket-keeping role. But if their form drops, Kishan will be a perfect replacement with the gloves besides contributing as the opener.
Read More: Top 5 players to watch out for in SMAT 2025-26
Absolute carnage from Abhishek Sharma, 142 in just 52 balls at the SMAT. That’s how you make a statement. Big congratulations! 💥🏏 pic.twitter.com/H7sTFTQBFf
— Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) November 30, 2025
Urvil Patel and Ayush Mhatre satisfy CSK ahead of IPL 2026
Urvil Patel started the tournament with a fantastic knock of an unbeaten 119 in 37 balls. During the 183-run chase, the right-handed batter bagged 12 boundaries and 10 sixes at a strike rate of 321.62. Gujarat completed the chase in just 12.3 overs by eight wickets against Services.
The 27-year-old featured in only three games for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL 2025. Even though he collected only 68 runs, his strike rate of 212.50 was really impressive. Being a wicket-keeper, he will add more value to his selection for the upcoming edition.
On the other hand, Ayush Mhatre has taken his T20 game to another level. In just 10 T20 innings, he has recorded 472 runs at an average of 59 and a strike rate of 185.82, with the help of two centuries and a fifty. Those two centuries came in the previous successive games against Vidarbha and Andhra Pradesh in Lucknow.
In the 193-run chase against Vidarbha, Mhatre scored an unbeaten knock of 110 runs in just 53 balls. His knock was arranged with eight boundaries and eight sixes at a strike rate of 207.54. In the following clash, the 18-year-old got an undefeated 104 runs in the 160-run chase. Mhatre is currently the leading run-getter of SMAT 2025/26 with 232 runs in three innings at a strike rate of 182.67.
This is good news for CSK and their fans. It’s also a good headache for the management. Mhatre, who got 240 runs in seven innings of the IPL 2025, can open with their newly signed member- Sanju Samson. That will push their captain Ruturaj Gaikwad at number three in the batting line-up.
All these players will aim to continue their dominance in the upcoming rounds of the SMAT 2025/26. The fourth round of the competition begins on December 2, 2026. The final of the event will take place on December 18 at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore.
Read More: IPL 2025: Who is CSK’s Urvil Patel, the hard-hitter from Gujarat
