SMAT 2024: Patidar's heroics guide Madhya Pradesh to final after 13 years

Bengaluru: In a dominant display of power-hitting, Madhya Pradesh, led by skipper Rajat Patidar, stormed into the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 tournament after 13 years, defeating former champions Delhi by seven wickets in the semifinal at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Friday.

Patidar’s scintillating unbeaten 66 off just 29 balls, supported by a clinical bowling effort led by allrounder Venkatesh Iyer, secured Madhya Pradesh’s place in the title clash against Mumbai.

Opting to field first, Madhya Pradesh bowlers justified the decision with a disciplined performance that kept Delhi in check throughout their innings. Despite a steady start from Yash Dhull (11) and Priyansh Arya (29), who added 38 runs in 33 balls, the Delhi batting lineup faltered under pressure. Tripuresh Singh broke the opening stand by dismissing Dhull, while Kumar Kartikeya sent Arya back to the pavilion, leaving Delhi at 54/2 in the ninth over.

Venkatesh Iyer delivered a game-changing spell, striking twice in the 11th over to remove skipper Ayush Badoni (19) and Himmat Singh (15). His figures of 2-12 were pivotal in reducing Delhi to 79/5. Late contributions from Anuj Rawat (33 not out off 24) and Mayank Rawat (24 off 21) helped Delhi recover slightly, but their total of 146/5 looked underwhelming on a batting-friendly pitch.

Chasing 147, Madhya Pradesh faced immediate trouble as Delhi's veteran pacer Ishant Sharma struck off the first ball, dismissing opener Arpit Gaud for a duck. Ishant followed it up with the wicket of Subhranshu Senapati (7), leaving MP at 20/2 in the third over. Harsh Gawli counter-attacked with a brisk 30 off 18 balls, including four boundaries and a six, to keep the chase on track. Despite his dismissal by Himanshu Chauhan in the seventh over, Gawli’s knock ensured Madhya Pradesh had a solid foundation.

With the score at 40/3, skipper Rajat Patidar took charge. Unleashing a flurry of boundaries and sixes, Patidar showcased his class and temperament, dominating the Delhi bowlers. Patidar found an able ally in Harpreet Singh Bhatia, who played a steady yet aggressive knock of 46 not out off 34 balls. Together, the duo forged an unbroken 106-run partnership off just 57 balls, effectively dashing Delhi’s hopes of a comeback.

Patidar’s innings, studded with six sixes and four boundaries, exemplified power and precision. Harpreet complemented him with timely boundaries, sealing the chase with a six off Suyash Sharma, who endured a forgettable spell, conceding 45 runs in 3.4 overs. Madhya Pradesh completed the chase in just 15.4 overs, cruising to a seven-wicket victory. This marks their first appearance in the final since finishing as runners-up in 2011, a testament to the team’s growth and resilience under Patidar’s leadership.

Madhya Pradesh will now face Mumbai in the final on Sunday at the same venue.

Brief scores:

Delhi 146 for 6 in 20 overs (Anuj Rawat 33, Priyansh Arya 29; Venkatesh Iyer 2-12, Tripuresh Singh 1-18) lose to Madhya Pradesh 152 for 3 in 15.4 overs (Rajat Patidar 66 not out, Harpreet Singh 46 not out; Ishant Sharma 2-12, Himanshu Chauhan 1-37) by seven wickets.