What a day of T20 cricket we just witnessed! The fourth round of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025 was pure, unadulterated chaos in the best way possible. While matches were buzzing across Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Hyderabad, and Kolkata, one performance truly stole the spotlight. A young left-hander from Karnataka decided to put on a show for the ages, leaving a formidable Tamil Nadu team completely stunned.
Key Highlights
- ✓ Devdutt Padikkal absolutely demolished Tamil Nadu with a scintillating 45-ball century.
- ✓ Karnataka posted a mammoth 245/3, their second-highest total in SMAT history.
- ✓ Hardik Pandya made a rollercoaster return, getting hit for 52 runs before scoring a crucial fifty.
- ✓ Bihar's Vaibhav Suryavanshi made history, becoming the youngest batter to score a century in the tournament.
- ✓ Tripura pulled off a stunning upset, defeating a star-studded Delhi side by 12 runs.
Padikkal's Masterclass Demolishes Tamil Nadu
Let’s talk about Devdutt Padikkal. When Tamil Nadu, led by Varun Chakaravarthy, won the toss and chose to bowl, they probably felt they had a decent chance to restrict Karnataka. Well, Padikkal had other plans. Opening the batting with captain Mayank Agarwal, he was in a destructive mood from the very first ball, which he dispatched for a six over mid-wicket off the experienced pacer T Natarajan.
That was just the start of the carnage. Padikkal and Agarwal put on a quickfire 69-run opening stand in just 33 balls, setting the perfect platform. After reaching his fifty in a brisk 26 balls, he just shifted into an even higher gear. He brought up his third Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy century in just 45 balls, capping it off in style with a massive straight six off pacer R. Rajkumar. It was simply breathtaking to watch.
He finished unbeaten on a spectacular 102, an innings decorated with 10 fours and six massive sixes. The strike rate was well over 200, and he seemed to particularly enjoy facing Natarajan, clobbering an incredible 45 runs from the 17 deliveries he faced from him. This single-handed demolition job powered Karnataka to a colossal total of 245 for three in their 20 overs.
The Rollercoaster Return of Hardik Pandya
While Padikkal was rewriting records, all eyes were also on another big name making his return to competitive cricket: Hardik Pandya. Playing for Baroda against Punjab, his comeback didn't exactly start with a bang. Opening the bowling, he was immediately taken to the cleaners by Punjab's aggressive openers, Abhishek Sharma and Prabhsimran Singh, conceding 26 runs in his first two overs.
His full spell wasn't much prettier, as he finished with figures of one wicket for a very expensive 52 runs in his four overs. Punjab, thanks to a 19-ball fifty from their captain Abhishek Sharma and another half-century from Anmolpreet Singh, amassed a huge total of 222. At that point, things looked grim for Hardik and Baroda.
But here's the thing about champions—they find a way to contribute. With the bat in hand, Hardik showed his true class. He single-handedly kept Baroda in the massive run-chase, scoring a fiery fifty. It was a classic tale of two halves for the all-rounder, proving that even after a tough time with the ball, he can still turn a game on its head with his batting prowess.
The Aftermath in Ahmedabad
Back in the Karnataka vs Tamil Nadu game, the second innings was a mere formality. Chasing an impossible 246 for victory, the TN batting lineup wilted under the immense pressure. They were bundled out for just 100 runs, with spinner Shreyas Gopal’s spell sealing their fate. The result was a crushing 145-run defeat for Tamil Nadu, a loss so significant it effectively ended their hopes of making it to the knockout stages.
A Day of Records and Upsets Across India
Padikkal and Pandya weren't the only ones making headlines. Over in another match, history was being made. Bihar's Vaibhav Suryavanshi became the youngest batter ever to score a century in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. In only his fifth T20 match, he played a stunning knock of 108 not out from 61 balls against Maharashtra, an innings that included seven fours and an equal number of sixes.
And what's a day of T20 cricket without a massive upset? We got a huge one in Ahmedabad, where Tripura stunned the mighty Delhi team. After posting a modest 157, Tripura’s bowlers held their nerve brilliantly. With 20 needed off the last over, Indrajit Debnath defended it successfully, securing a famous 12-run victory for his side. It was a fantastic moment and a reminder of the beautiful unpredictability of this format.
The action didn't stop there. For Mumbai, Shardul Thakur was on fire, single-handedly running through the Assam batting lineup with a five-wicket haul. In another high-scoring thriller, Bengal chased down 209 to beat Himachal Pradesh, thanks to a magnificent 113 off just 50 balls from Karan Lal. We also saw Arjun Tendulkar in action for Goa, picking up an early wicket against Madhya Pradesh. It was just a non-stop, action-packed day of domestic cricket at its finest.
Conclusion
When the dust settled on a truly hectic day of the SMAT 2025, it was Devdutt Padikkal's name that was on everyone's lips. His breathtaking century wasn't just a match-winning knock; it was a statement. From Hardik Pandya's mixed return to Vaibhav Suryavanshi's historic ton and Tripura's giant-killing act, the day served as a perfect showcase for the talent and drama that Indian domestic cricket has to offer. It’s days like these that remind us why we love this game so much.
