SMAT 2025: Nitish Kumar Reddy shines as Andhra Pradesh ends Jharkhand's nine-match winning streak

Pune (Maharashtra) [India], December 16 (ANI): India all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy's all-round performance has helped his side Andhra Pradesh to clinch a nine-run win against in-form Jharkhand in a Super League Group A match at the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025 at the DY Patil Academy on Tuesday.

Nitish Kumar was named Player of the Match for his all-round performance. With this victory, Andhra Pradesh ended Jharkhand's nine-match winning streak in the ongoing domestic tournament.

Batting first, Srikar Bharat (35 off 19 balls) and Ashwin Hebbar (30 off 18 balls) notched up a 61-run partnership for the opening wicket. Nitish Reddy smashed 45 runs off 22 balls, including six fours and two sixes, as Andhra posted 203/7 in 20 overs. Rajandeep Singh (2/35) and Anukul Roy (2/30) were among the wicket-takers for Jharkhand.

In response, Captain Ishan Kishan (35 off 18 balls, including seven boundaries), Virat Singh (77 off 40 deliveries, with the help of four boundaries and seven sixes) stitched an 88-run partnership for the opening wicket.

Robin Minz scored 25 runs as Jharkhand posted 194/8 in 20 overs and lost the match by nine runs. With the ball, Nitish Kumar Reddy (2/32) and Saurabh Kumar (2/21) had a good outing for Andhra Pradesh.

Meanwhile, Mumbai won a high-scoring contest by three wickets at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium.

Batting first, Rajasthan made 216/4 in 20 overs after Deepak Hooda (51 off 31 balls) and Mukul Choudhary (54* off 28 balls) slammed half-centuries.

For Mumbai, captain Shardul Thakur (1/43), Tushar Deshpande (1/54), Sairaj Patil (1/31) and Shams Mulani (1/33) were among the wicket-takers.

While chasing, Ajinkya Rahane (72 off 41 balls) and Sarfaraz Khan (73 off 22 balls) smashed blistering half-centuries that helped Mumbai to chase down a 217-run target in 18.1 overs.

Sarfaraz Khan was named Player of the Match for his match-winning half-century. (ANI)

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