Tamil Nadu beat Baroda to win second Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy
Ahmedabad, Jan 31: Tamil Nadu produced an impressive batting display after left-arm spinner M Siddarth's four-wicket haul as they lifted the coveted Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy after defeating Baroda by seven wickets in the final here on Sunday.
This was Tamil Nadu's second Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy triumph, after winning their first title way back in 2006-07. Baroda, who had won the title twice in the past (in 2011-12 and 2013-14), ended runners-up this time.
Siddharth (4/20) spun his web around the Baroda batsmen to restrict them to a meagre 120 for 9 and then Tamil Nadu overhauled the target in 18 overs, with opener C Hari Nishaanth top-scoring with 35.
Chasing 121 for a win, Tamil Nadu lost opener Narayan Jagadeesan (14) early as pacer Lukman Meriwala (1/34) picked up the first wicket, with the opposition at 26/1.
But Nishaanth (35; 3x4; 1x6) continued playing his shots and was joined by Baba Aparajith (29 not out off 35 balls) as Tamil Nadu reached 61/1 after 10 overs.
However, medium-pacer Babashafi Pathan removed Nishaanth in the 12th over, as he holed out in the deep, to reduce TN to 67/2 and give Baroda a glimmer of hope.
Skipper Dinesh Karthik played his part to perfection with a 16-ball 22 but perished when his side needed 20 runs off 23 balls.
Aparajith and Shahrukh Khan (18 not out off 7 balls; 2x4; 1x6) then took TN home. Shahrukh, fittingly, finished the game with a boundary.
Earlier, Siddharth's brilliant bowling upfront enabled TN to restrict Baroda to 120 for 9 on a difficult track.
It was largely due to the 58-run seventh wicket stand between Vishnu Solanki (49 off 55 balls; 1x4; 2x6) and Atit Sheth (29 off 30 balls; 2x4;1x6) that Baroda after being reduced to 36/6 managed a three-figure total.
Siddharth used the pitch to his advantage by varying the pace of his deliveries and also using the crease well to create awkward angles for the batsmen.
Put into bat on a Sardar Patel Stadium track that offered both turn and bounce, Baroda lost left-handed opener Ninad Rathva (1) early as the move to start with spinners from both the ends paid off for Tamil Nadu.
Rathva was caught by KB Arun Karthik off offie Baba Aparajith (1/16). Aparajith and left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore (0/11) kept things tight as Baroda was 11/1 after three overs.
Skipper Kedar Devdhar (16), who had hammered three boundaries, could not convert his starts and gave a sitter to Narayan Jagadeesan at cover as the wiry Siddharth picked up his first wicket.
Brief Scores:
Baroda 120/9 (Vishnu Solanki 49, Atit Sheth 29; M Siddharth 4/20; M Mohammed 1/16) lost to
Tamil Nadu 123/3 (C Hari Nishaanth 35, Baba Aparajith 29 not out; Atit Sheth 1/20, Babashafi Pathan 1/23) by 7 wickets.
Mr @ThakurArunS, Honorary Treasurer, BCCI, hands over the Man of the Match award to Tamil Nadu's M Siddharth for his impressive 4/20 in the @Paytm #SyedMushtaqAliT20 #Final against Baroda. ?? pic.twitter.com/DO89Xl1G9x
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) January 31, 2021
D.O.M.I.N.A.N.C.E! ??
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) January 31, 2021
The @DineshKarthik-led Tamil Nadu unit beat Baroda by 7⃣ wickets in the #Final and clinch the @Paytm #SyedMushtaqAliT20 title in style at the @GCAMotera. ?? | @TNCACricket
Scorecard ? https://t.co/UAB2Z0siQm pic.twitter.com/MARKSY4rLK
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Rohit Sharma's leaked chat with Zaheer Khan sparks controversy ahead of LSG vs MI clash
Mumbai: A video featuring Rohit Sharma in conversation with former Mumbai Indians coach Zaheer Khan has gone viral, stirring controversy ahead of Mumbai Indians' IPL 2025 match against Lucknow Super Giants. The footage, shared by Mumbai Indians on social media, shows Rohit saying, “Jo jab karna tha maine kiya barabar se, ab mereko kuch karne ki zarurat nahi hai” (Whatever had to be done, I did it properly, now I don't need to do anything).
The clip quickly drew comparisons to a similar controversy in IPL 2024 when Rohit was seen speaking with Kolkata Knight Riders' assistant coach Abhishek Nayar, allegedly discussing internal matters of Mumbai Indians. That video was later taken down by KKR’s social media team.
🚨Selfish Greedy Rohit Sharma got exposed again. Last year he was talking with Abhishek Nair now with EX MI Bowling coach Zaheer Khan.
— Vikass (@183_ViratKohli) April 3, 2025
“Mujhe jo karna tha maine tab barabar se kiya, ab mereko koi jarurat nhi” (probably about his batting for MI)
MI deleted this video 👇👇 https://t.co/4eGkuqLj5r pic.twitter.com/169Nm287kW
Adding to the intrigue, Rishabh Pant was seen approaching Rohit and sharing a hug during the conversation. Fans have speculated on the significance of the remarks, with debates intensifying online.
As Mumbai Indians prepare to face Lucknow Super Giants at Ekana Stadium, Rohit’s on-field form remains a concern. The veteran batsman has managed only 21 runs in three innings so far this season. However, the team gained momentum with a win against Kolkata Knight Riders, fueled by strong performances from Suryakumar Yadav and Ryan Rickelton.
Lucknow Super Giants, boasting a 5-1 head-to-head record against MI, will rely on Nicholas Pooran and Mitchell Marsh to maintain their dominance. Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant, struggling for runs, will be under scrutiny as both teams aim for a crucial victory.
