Shreyas Iyer and Rajat Patidar dazzled in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) on Wednesday, November 27, delivering standout performances. Patidar showcased his talent with a stunning innings of 62 runs off just 37 balls, steering Madhya Pradesh to an impressive total of 188 runs for 8 wickets. Meanwhile, Iyer also made headlines with a remarkable 71 runs off 39 balls, including eight boundaries and three sixes, as he led Mumbai against Maharashtra.
Iyer’s innings came soon after making waves in the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction, where he became the second most expensive player ever, fetching INR 26.75 crores from Punjab Kings (PBKS). This achievement broke the previous record held by Mitchell Starc, who was sold for Rs 24.75 crores during the mini auction for the 2024 season. However, the spotlight shifted once again when Rishabh Pant was sold to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for INR 27 crores, reclaiming the title of the most expensive player.
In the match, Iyer partnered with Ajinkya Rahane, forming a significant 110-run partnership off 59 balls, crucial in helping Mumbai chase down the target of 173. Rahane contributed with a solid 52 runs off 34 balls, hitting three fours and three sixes. Thanks to their efforts, Mumbai successfully chased the target in just 17.1 overs, winning the match by five wickets.
### Rajat Patidar Shines in Madhya Pradesh’s Victory
For Madhya Pradesh, Mukesh Choudhary was the standout bowler for Maharashtra, taking 4 wickets for 33 runs in his four overs. Patidar found valuable support from Harpreet Singh as they combined for a remarkable 112-run partnership off 67 balls, helping to rescue Madhya Pradesh from a shaky position of 28 runs for 3 wickets. Their combined effort enabled the team to post a formidable score of 188 runs for 8 in their allotted 20 overs, leading to a narrow victory of nine runs against Punjab.
Abhishek Sharma was the top performer for Punjab, scoring 61 runs off 36 balls with nine fours and one six. Other contributors included Prabhsimran Singh with 26 runs off 17 balls and Naman Dhir with 39 runs from 27 deliveries. Despite their efforts, it was not enough, and Punjab fell short, losing by nine runs.
