Sarfaraz Khan made a stunning impact on his return to T20 cricket by scoring his maiden century in the format during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match between Mumbai and Assam. The 28-year-old batsman’s knock came ahead of the IPL 2026 mini-auction, which will take place in Abu Dhabi on December 16.
Mumbai were asked to bat first at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on Tuesday, December 2. In-form opener Ayush Mhatre, who had scored centuries in his previous two matches, was perished early in the fourth over. Sarfaraz walked at number three and started his innings quietly, taking time to settle at the crease.
Sarfaraz Khan crushes Maiden T20 Century in SMAT
Sarfaraz Khan switched to an aggressive approach and started clearing the ropes with ease. The right-handed batsman reached his century on the penultimate ball of the Mumbai innings. He scored 100 runs off 47 balls, including eight fours and seven sixes.
He also added a quick partnership of 50 runs with Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav. His knock helped Mumbai reach an impressive total of 220 for four in their 20 overs.
Sarfaraz, who last played a T20 match on November 2, 2023, earned his place in the XI in place of Shivam Dube and made the most of the opportunity by batting higher up the order.
The innings came at an important time for Mumbai, especially as they are likely to lose Suryakumar Yadav and possibly Dube in the next round of SMAT matches due to international commitments.
Sarfaraz Khan sends a strong message to CSK, RCB, MI and more ahead of the IPL auction
Before this knock, Sarfaraz Khan’s highest score in the format was 67. He has scored 1,288 runs in 97 T20 matches with an average of just over 24 and a strike rate of over 132. The right-handed batsman has scored 585 runs in 50 IPL matches.
After going unsold in the 2025 IPL auction, Sarfaraz Khan has thrown his name into the water, and this century could give him a big shot at an IPL comeback.
Khan has not played in the last two IPL seasons. He struggled to find consistency during his stints with Delhi Capitals (DC), Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), registering just one IPL half-century in 2019.
Ishan Kishan stars in SMAT 2025; Devdutt Padikkal hits century for Karnataka
Ishan Kishan leads Jharkhand in SMAT 2025. On Tuesday, he scored 93 runs off 50 balls against Saurashtra in Ahmedabad. The left-handed batsman hit 11 fours and 3 sixes while opening the innings.
Ishan was close to making another century but got out to Jaydev Unadkat in the 17th over. In the previous match, he had scored an unbeaten 113 off 50 balls.
In another match, Devdutt Padikkal performed brilliantly for Karnataka against Tamil Nadu. He remained not out on 102 off 46 balls, including 10 fours and 6 sixes, and helped Karnataka win by 145 runs.
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