Less than a week after smashing the fastest T20 century by an Indian, off just 28 balls, Gujarat’s Urvil Patel blitzed an unbeaten 115 off just 41 balls in an eight-wicket win over Uttarakhand in a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy game in Indore. This vaulted Gujarat to the top spot in Group C with five wins in six matches, with one league fixture still remaining.
Urvil got to his century on Tuesday off just 38 balls – his second consecutive T20 hundred – as Gujarat made light work of Uttarakhand’s total of 182, getting there with 41 balls to spare. Urvil hit eight fours and 11 sixes in his innings. Along the way, he overtook Hardik Pandya to be the tournament’s highest six-hitter (25) at this stage.
Saurashtra continues to stay hot on Gujarat’s heels, sharing the top spot in Group C with 20 points. After posting 266/6 against Baroda, they followed up with a dominant 235/5 in their 59-run win over Tamil Nadu on Tuesday, powered by three half-centuries. Harvik Desai made 55, Ruchit Ahir scored 56, and Sammar Gajjar remained unbeaten on 55.
Ahir was particularly standout, scoring his second consecutive T20 half-century in just his third game. Desai also maintained his form, building on his 39-ball 76 against Baroda. Tamil Nadu never looked likely to challenge the target, finishing 64 runs short, despite efforts from Chirag Jani and Dharmendrasinh Jadeja with the ball.
This defeat marked Tamil Nadu’s fourth loss in six games, after they had won back-to-back championships in 2020-21 and 2021-22.
Dube Shines on Return; Shardul Redeems Himself
Mumbai boosted their knockout hopes with a comfortable 39-run victory over Services in Group C, thanks to strong performances from Shivam Dube, Suryakumar Yadav, and Shardul Thakur.
Dube, returning after a three-month absence due to a back injury, made an immediate impact. He top-scored with a 37-ball 71, anchoring Mumbai’s total of 192/4. Dube’s 130-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Suryakumar, who contributed 70 off 46 balls, was crucial.
However, Prithvi Shaw, under scrutiny for off-field issues, was dismissed for a duck after facing just three balls.
Shardul Thakur, who went unsold in the latest IPL auction, redeemed himself after a tough outing the previous week. Thakur, who had the most expensive figures in SMA Trophy history, delivered a stellar performance with the ball, taking 4/25 in his four overs to help Mumbai defend their total.
Andhra Shatters Kerala’s Knockout Dreams
Kerala’s hopes of advancing to the knockout stage were dashed by a six-wicket loss to Andhra in their final league match. Andhra, with five wins from five matches, now top Group E, while Kerala finish with four wins in six games. To progress, Kerala will need Andhra to defeat Mumbai in their final fixture.
Andhra’s bowlers, exploiting the early morning conditions in Indore, dismissed Kerala for a mere 87. KV Sasikanth was the standout, taking 3/23. In response, KS Bharat guided Andhra to victory, scoring an unbeaten 56 off 33 balls, his second consecutive half-century.