Anmolpreet Singh’s blitzkrieg century propels Punjab to maiden SMAT Championship triumph

Punjab clinched their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) title, breaking the jinx of four previous final losses. The final of SMAT 2023, held at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali on Monday, November 6, witnessed a record-breaking ton from Anmolpreet Singh, which proved to be the game-changer.

Talking about the match, Baroda won the toss and chose to field first. Punjab’s start was far from ideal, losing Abhishek Sharma on the very first ball, and Prabhsimran Singh followed suit shortly after. At 18/2, the situation seemed dire for Punjab. However, skipper Mandeep Singh stepped up and unleashed a flurry of boundaries, helping the team recover. Anmolpreet Singh joined the assault and batted with calculated aggression in the later part of the powerplay.

Mandeep departed after scoring 32 runs but young Nehal Wadhera arrived at the crease and showcased his aggressive intent. Anmolpreet, on the other end, displayed his fireworks with a remarkable hat-trick of sixes, leaving Baroda flustered in the slog overs. The dynamic duo of Wadhera and Anmolpreet showed no mercy in the final overs and played a cracking knock of 113 runs off just 61 balls which included 10 fours and 6 sixes, as Punjab’s total swelled to an imposing 223 runs.

Brilliant bowling by Arshdeep Singh

Chasing the target, Baroda displayed resilience and kept themselves in contention, largely thanks to Ninad Rathva and Abhimanyu Singh, who maintained the required run rate. Rathva’s early onslaught was cut short before he reached his fifty. Abhimanyu and skipper Krunal Pandya continued to battle on and benefited from a slew of dropped catches by the Punjab fielders.

It seemed as if these missed opportunities would cost Punjab dearly, especially as heavy dew made it challenging for the bowlers. However, Punjab’s Arshdeep Singh turned the tide with an exceptional over when Baroda needed 33 runs from the final 12 deliveries. His brilliant spell, combined with nerves of steel, helped Punjab secure a remarkable 20-run victory and their first SMAT title. Arshdeep ended up taking 3 wickets in his 4 overs quota while conceding only 23 runs.