‘Different Ground, Same Business’: Suryakumar Celebrates Mumbai’s Winning SMAT Start

Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Elite:  Mumbai captain Suryakumar Yadav summed up his side’s emphatic start to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Elite 2026 campaign with a confident social media post after returning to competitive cricket with a match-winning performance against Hyderabad.

“Different ground, same business. Good start to SMAT with the boys. Onwards and upwards!,” Suryakumar wrote on Instagram, sharing pictures from the outing after Mumbai registered a seven-wicket victory in their Group D encounter at the Jadavpur University Campus 2nd Ground in Kolkata on Saturday.

The 36-year-old marked his return to top-flight cricket with an explosive unbeaten 60 off just 21 deliveries, helping Mumbai overhaul Hyderabad’s 172-run total in only 13.1 overs. His innings featured five sixes and six fours, with the right-hander bringing up his half-century in just 15 balls.

Suryakumar’s knock came after a productive opening stand between Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who scored 27 off 13 balls, and Hardik Tamore, who contributed 22 off 16. However, it was the Mumbai skipper’s arrival that completely shifted the momentum of the chase.

He found an equally aggressive partner in Musheer Khan, who struck 51 off 24 deliveries. The duo took the attack to Hyderabad’s bowlers, with Suryakumar collecting 22 runs off Ved Reddy in the ninth over, before the pair added further pressure by taking 24 runs off Pranav Varma in the next over.

Musheer departed in the 12th over, but Suryakumar continued his assault before Shivam Dube joined him, bringing the chase to a swift conclusion. Dube finished the contest with a six, leaving Mumbai comfortably ahead with 41 balls to spare.

The outing was particularly significant for Suryakumar, who was named Mumbai captain for the domestic T20 tournament earlier this month. He had last featured in an official T20 match for Mumbai Indians during the IPL in May, before turning out in the Mumbai T20 League in June.

Mumbai’s commanding win offered an encouraging start to their campaign, with Suryakumar’s form providing an early talking point as the tournament progresses.

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Article Source: IANS