The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy season came to an end with Mumbai defeating Madhya Pradesh in the finals at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru and winning the prestigious trophy for the second time. Several teams impressed at the SMAT 2024 including the likes of Delhi, Baroda, Madhya Pradesh and Mumbai. The tournament featured several talented players showcasing their potential and gaining precious match-readiness ahead of the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.
LSG aims to win IPL 2025 with a star-studded squad
The Lucknow Super Giants have been a relatively new team in the IPL, but their desire of winning the coveted title has not been a secret. The owner of the franchise, Dr. Sanjiv Goenka has taken several drastic steps during the mega auction to fine tune the squad for the intense IPL season. This includes the induction of star wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant, who is speculated to be the face of the franchise after the release of KL Rahul. On the other hand, several young LSG have raised hopes of LSG fans and team management with their impressive performance in SMAT 2024.
5 LSG players who made a strong impact during SMAT 2024
Himmat Singh has been a stellar presence for his domestic side, Delhi in SMAT 2024. The 28-year-old batter gave LSG fans reasons to celebrate with his exhilarating innings against Uttar Pradesh in which he scored 77 runs off 34 balls. Singh hit 4 boundaries and 6 towering sixes to put Delhi in a comfortable position in the match. Another breathtaking innings Singh played during the tournament was an unbeaten 71 runs knock against Jammu and Kashmir. These individual scores goes on to show that if his form from SMAT continues in the IPL 2025, Singh can be a real value addition to the team.
Ayush Badoni was the leader of the Delhi squad during SMAT 2024. Under his leadership, Delhi has reached the semi-finals stage of the prestigious tournament. This goes on to show the kind of leadership figure that Badoni can be for his IPL franchise. With the bat, Badoni has been instrumental to the success of his domestic side. A key performance from his bat came against Himachal Pradesh, when under adverse conditions he scored 70 precious runs for the team. His contribution with the bat saved the day for Delhi as they reached a respectable total of 149 runs in their 20 overs. Thus, Badoni has displayed in the SMAT that he can handle pressure and perform for the team when they need him the most.
Also Read: Sanjiv Goenka opens up on the possibility of Rishabh Pant leading Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in IPL 2025
Ravi Bishnoi has now become a known name for Indian cricket fans, particularly in the T20I format. His performance during the SMAT 2024 has only bolstered his reputation as a dependable T20 spinner. Representing his domestic side, Gujarat, Bishnoi took 7 wickets throughout the tournament including an impressive 3/28 in his four-over spell against Karnataka.
- Avesh Khan (Madhya Pradesh):
Avesh Khan was an important part of the Madhya Pradesh squad that reached the finals of SMAT 2024. Even though they fell short of winning the title, his contributions with the bowl for his domestic team cannot go unnoticed. Khan was a reliable pacer in the MP squad whose name became synonymous with taking wickets consistently during the tournament. He took a total of 10 wickets in SMAT 2024 and with an economy rate of 8.30. LSG fans now expect a similar performance from Khan in the upcoming IPL season.
- Arshin Kulkarni (Maharashtra):
The youngster representing his domestic side, Maharashtra, became a sensation during SMAT 2024 and showed the world why LSG decided to retain this 19-year-old for the upcoming season. Kulkarni impressed his fans and cricket pundits alike both with the bat and the bowl. He scored a total of 194 runs during the tournament and took 7 wickets. Kulkarni has been a mature presence in a very young age for his domestic side and LSG fans now expect the same from him.