'Talent Isn't Just In North Or South': Ex-RCB Star's Big Dig After Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Final
Jharkhand skipper Ishan Kishan led from the front, finishing the tournament as the leading run-scorer with 517 runs in 10 innings.
Former India U19 World Cup-winning wicketkeeper Shreevats Goswami praised Jharkhand's historic Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025 triumph. The Ishan Kishan-led side hammered Haryana by 69 runs in the final in Pune on Thursday to lift just their second major title. Their only previous triumph came during the 2010-11 Vijay Hazare Trophy under the leadership of Saurabh Tiwary. Taking to social media, Goswami highlighted that Jharkhand's victory proved that talented cricketers aren't confined to metropolitan areas.
"So happy for the Jharkhand players & support staff. Must mean the world to them winning the SMAT. Which clearly suggests that talented cricketers are not just in north or south. Look around different states and you will find plenty. Also kudos to my friend Saurabh Tiwary & Nadeem who now runs the show behind the scenes," Goswami wrote on X.
So happy for the Jharkhand players & support staff. Must mean the world to them winning the #SMAT. Which clearly suggests that talented cricketers are not just in north or south. Look around different states and you will find plenty. Also kudos to my friend Saurabh Tiwary &...
— Shreevats goswami (@shreevats1) December 18, 2025
Jharkhand skipper Ishan Kishan led from the front, finishing the tournament as the leading run-scorer with 517 runs in 10 innings. Batters Kumar Kushagra and Virat Singh also enjoyed plenty of success, scoring 422 and 382 runs respectively.
In the bowling department, pacer Sushant Mishra emerged as the joint-highest wicket-taker with 22 scalps at an economy rate of 8.92. Anukul Roy was named the 'Player of the Tournament' for his all-round contributions, having taken 18 wickets and scored 303 runs.
Kishan made a compelling case for a T20I recall with a belligerent hundred in the final. He went on a six-hitting spree, smashing 10 maximums en route to a breathtaking 49-ball 101, as Jharkhand piled up an imposing 262 for 3.
In reply, Haryana's innings folded at 193 in 18.3 overs despite Yashvardhan Dalal's brilliant 22-ball 53.
"Bahut achha khele, bahut maja aya; jaldi aur baat hogi aur aise hi jeet te rahenge (We really played well and hope we keep playing like this)," Kishan said after arriving to a rousing welcome at the Ranchi airport on Friday.
(With PTI Inputs)