Shardul Thakur, who went unsold in the IPL 2025 auction, had a tough outing in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, recording the worst-ever bowling figures in the tournament’s history. Playing for Mumbai in a Group E match against Kerala, Shardul conceded 69 runs in his four overs, as Kerala posted a massive total of 234/5. Despite early success, where Shardul dismissed Sanju Samson for just 4, he was hammered by Kerala’s batters, especially Salman Nizar, who scored 99 off 49 balls, and Rohan Kunnummal, who made 87 off 48 balls. The pair’s explosive 140-run stand dominated the game.Days after being overlooked in the IPL auction, the India veteran recorded his worst-ever SMAT bowling figures.
In response, Mumbai could only manage 191/9, despite Ajinkya Rahane’s 68 off 35 balls. Prithvi Shaw’s cameo of 23 off 13 balls and Shreyas Iyer’s 32 off 18 balls were not enough to keep Mumbai in the chase. Kerala’s MD Nidheesh starred with the ball, taking 4/30 to help his team win by 43 runs.Days after being overlooked in the IPL auction, the India veteran recorded his worst-ever SMAT bowling figures.
Meanwhile, in a separate Group C match, Delhi defeated Manipur by four wickets. Manipur, who batted first, could only manage 120/8 in their 20 overs, with Ahmed Shah top-scoring at 32. Delhi, led by Yash Dhull’s patient 59 off 51 balls, comfortably chased the target in 18.3 overs. Delhi’s innovative approach saw skipper Ayush Badoni use all 11 players, including wicketkeeper Anuj Rawat, for an over each, with left-arm spinner Harsh Tyagi (2/11) and off-spinner Digvesh Singh (2/8) claiming key wickets. Despite a few cheap dismissals, Dhull guided Delhi to victory.
