Pune/Jamshedpur, Dec 12: Jamshedpur’s Kumar Kushagra produced a stunning unbeaten 86 to guide Jharkhand to a historic victory as they chased down a massive 236 against a strong Punjab side in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy domestic T20 tournament.
Playing at the DY Patil Academy in Ambi (Pune), Jharkhand achieved the highest successful chase in the history of the competition, surpassing Punjab’s formidable 235/6. Kushagra’s explosive 86 came off just 42 balls and included a match-winning display of clean hitting. Jharkhand sealed the win by six wickets with 11 balls remaining, marking their eighth consecutive victory of the tournament.
Earlier, Punjab’s innings was powered by a sensational knock from wicketkeeper-batter Salil Arora, who hammered 125 off just 45 balls. Arora reached his century in only 39 deliveries, putting Punjab in a dominant position before Jharkhand turned the tables with a commanding reply.
Skipper Ishan Kishan gave Jharkhand the perfect start with a quickfire 47 off 23 balls, setting the momentum for the chase. Kushagra, maintaining composure under pressure, built key partnerships with Kishan, Anukul Roy and Pankaj Kumar to take his team over the line comfortably.
The remarkable chase not only underscored Jharkhand’s batting depth but also highlighted the rising form of Jamshedpur’s young talent, Kumar Kushagra, whose unbeaten knock proved decisive in the record-breaking win.
Punjab 235/6 in 20 overs (Salil Arora 125 not out, Naman Dhir 27; Sushant Mishra 2-47, Bal Krishna 2-66) lost to Jharkhand 237/4 in 18.1 overs (Kumar Kushagra 86, Ishan Kishan 47; Ramandeep Singh 1-37, Sanvir Singh 1-40) by six wickets
