SMAT 2025 Day 5 Round-Up: Jharkhand remain unbeaten; Kerala beat Mumbai

Jharkhand and Rajasthan are now the only teams yet to lose a match in SMAT 2025-26

The 2025-26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) continued with match day 5 action today with all 32 teams once again in action. With just two more league games left to play, the race to the Super League has heated up across all four groups as teams look to secure early qualification. The day featured strong team performances, a few tight chases, and standout individual efforts that kept the competition finely poised.

 

Jharkhand extended their unbeaten run with another convincing win, Kerala overcame domestic giants Mumbai in a significant Group A result, and Uttar Pradesh rode on Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s experience to claim a comfortable victory. Elsewhere, Baroda, Haryana, Assam and Bengal also picked up important wins to stay alive in the qualification battle. 

Bhuvneshwar Kumar leads UP to dominant win

Despite being past his India days, Bhuvneshwar Kumar showed his value once again with superb figures of 3/23, helping Uttar Pradesh secure a 40-run win over Chandigarh at Eden Gardens. UP posted 212/7 after Sameer Rizvi (70 off 42) and Madhav Kaushik (67 off 41) put on 86 for the third wicket. Rinku Singh added a brisk 24 off 10 to push the total beyond 200.

 

Chandigarh’s chase revolved around Manan Vohra’s 61 off 35, but regular strikes from Bhuvneshwar and Kartik Tyagi stalled momentum as they finished at 172/8. Sandeep Sharma claimed 4/26 for Chandigarh earlier in the day.

Jharkhand stay unbeaten with seven-wicket win

Jharkhand reinforced their Group D dominance with a seven-wicket victory over Uttarakhand in Ahmedabad. Uttarakhand managed 150/7, with Kunal Chandela top-scoring with 55. Anukul Roy starred with the ball, taking 3/20.

 

In reply, Jharkhand chased the target in 16.1 overs thanks to Utkarsh Singh (41), Kumar Kushagra (31) and a powerful finish from Virat Singh, who hammered 43 off 22. The result keeps Jharkhand unbeaten and well placed for Super League qualification.

Kerala beat Mumbai in key Group A clash

Kerala picked up one of the most significant wins of the day, beating Mumbai by 15 runs in Lucknow. Kerala’s 178/5, built around contributions from the top order, proved more than enough as Mumbai were bowled out for 163 in 19.4 overs. The result dents Mumbai’s group standing while boosting Kerala’s prospects with the business end of the league stage approaching.

 

Hyderabad, Goa and Rajasthan register important wins

 

Hyderabad defeated Jammu & Kashmir by four wickets while chasing 112, driven by a calm half-century from Tanay Thyagarajan. Goa successfully chased 180 against Bihar, riding on Suyash Prabhudessai’s 79 and Kashyap Bakhale’s 64 in a five-wicket victory.

 

Rajasthan edged Saurashtra in a tight finish, winning by two wickets while chasing 146 with a ball to spare in another close Group D contest.

Baroda thrash Gujarat; Haryana cruise past Himachal

Baroda produced one of the most one-sided results of the day, bowling out Gujarat for 73 before chasing the target in just 6.4 overs. Haryana maintained their strong form with a seven-wicket win over Himachal Pradesh, hunting down 177 in 18 overs with complete control.

Assam, Bengal and Andhra strengthen their campaigns

Assam continued their push with a 58-run win over Vidarbha after posting 175/7. Bengal defeated Services by seven wickets while chasing 166 in Hyderabad.

 

Andhra completed the day’s proceedings with an eight-wicket win against Chhattisgarh, cruising to a 159-run chase in 18.5 overs.