Rajat Patidar breaks Gautam Gambhir’s record with brutal 81 in SMAT final against Mumbai
New Delhi: Madhya Pradesh (MP) captain Rajat Patidar was in full flow in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final against Mumbai. Patidar smashed six fours and as many sixes en route to a blazing 81 in 40 balls as MP posted a decent score of 174-8. At one point, MP were under threat of scoring a below-par score, with the team struggling at 86-5 in the 13th over but Patidar ensured that the team had a fighting total on the board.
Rajat Patidar‘s knock helped him break the all-time Indian record set by former cricketer Gautam Gambhir. Patidar’s 81 is now the highest score by an Indian captain in a domestic T20 tournament. Gambhir had previously scored 80 against Chennai Super Kings in the 2014 Champions League, while Rohit Sharma ranks third with a 68-run knock against Delhi Capitals in IPL 2020.
Mumbai Win SMAT Final
Meanwhile, Patidar’s brilliant knock went in vain as Mumbai cruised to a five-wicket win. Suryakumar Yadav top-scored for Mumbai with a stylish 48-run knock. However, it was Suryansh Shedge’s cameo of 36* off 15 balls that guided Mumbai over the line. Patidar finished the season as the second-leading run-scorer of the tournament, amassing 428 runs in 10 games. Mumbai’s Ajinkya Rahane was the top scorer of SMAT 2024, with 469 runs in nine matches.
“This is not the result we wanted, but I’m happy with the way the boys played throughout the tournament. We were 20-25 runs short today. Four or five players were playing in this tournament for the first time, but I’m pleased with the effort they put in. I always love playing here and want to thank the fans for their support,” said Patidar after the defeat in the final.
Mumbai have clinched the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024, securing their second title in consecutive seasons after their victory in 2022-23. With a star-studded top order, they were always the favorites to lift the trophy. The opening pair of Prithvi Shaw and Ajinkya Rahane provided a solid foundation, followed by Shreyas Iyer at number three. Suryakumar Yadav, the world’s number 1 T20I batsman, came in at four, with Shivam Dube and the talented Suryansh Shedge to follow. Shedge played a crucial cameo, guiding Mumbai to a comfortable five-wicket win in the final.
Earlier in the day, Rajat Patidar led from the front with a captain’s knock, helping his team post a challenging total. However, Mumbai’s batters made light work of the chase. Rahane contributed with a steady knock at the top, while Suryakumar’s innings truly put Mumbai in the driver’s seat. Despite losing a few wickets in the middle overs, Shedge’s quickfire 36* ensured a clinical finish, and Mumbai crossed the line with 13 balls to spare. The Chinnaswamy crowd witnessed a dominant run chase, as Mumbai sealed the win with ease. Stay tuned for the presentations.