SMAT 2025-26 Final Preview: Jharkhand, Haryana hope to clear last hurdle and clinch maiden title
After three weeks of high-octane cricketing action, two young teams – Haryana and Jharkhand – will chase their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title when they feature in the final at the MCA Stadium on Thursday.
Both captains, Ishan Kishan and Ankit Kumar, have led from the front with consistent performances with the bat. However, Jharkhand and Haryana have had different journeys in the tournament.
Jharkhand remained undefeated in nine games through the group phase and the Super League stage but went down to Andhra on Tuesday.
For Haryana, every game has been like a knockout according to its captain Ankit. Placed in Group A with defending champion Mumbai, Rajasthan and Hyderabad, Haryana overcame a defeat in its first Super League match and put up dominant performances in the next two to improve its Net Run Rate (NRR) to storm into the final.
Ankit has had a dream run, amassing 448 runs in 10 innings, and has been vital in Haryana’s strategy of attacking in the PowerPlay. The middle-order too stepped up in the Super League to support the team’s campaign.
Dew will be a major factor in the final, making the toss all the more crucial. Keeping that in mind, Haryana would expect its fast bowlers Anshul Kamboj and Ishant Bhardwaj to take charge. A neat start with the ball could allow Haryana to unleash off-spinner Amit Rana.
As Jharkhand captain Kishan points out, his side would stick to its tried and tested formula. With Virat Singh back among runs, the team would hope to make the most of the Powerplay before the middle-order takes charge.
On a flat deck, Jharkhand will pin its hopes on Vikash Singh and Sushant Mishra to keep things under control and clinch its maiden title.
Published on Dec 17, 2025
