Both batsmen were ruthless against off-spinner Nitin Tanwar, who conceded 54 runs in his four overs.
In response, Services were bowled out for 153 in 19.3 overs. Shardul Thakur made a strong comeback, taking 4 wickets for 25 runs, while left-arm spinner Shams Mulani supported with 3 wickets. Dube was named Player of the Match after also taking a wicket in the field.
Baroda made history by posting the highest team total in T20 cricket during their Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match against Sikkim on Thursday. They scored an astonishing 349/5, surpassing the previous record of 344/4 set by Zimbabwe against Gambia in October 2024. This was also the first time a team scored more than 300 in the SMAT, with Punjab’s 275/6 being the previous highest. Remarkably, Baroda achieved this feat without Hardik Pandya and with captain Krunal Pandya not even having the opportunity to bat.
Batting first, Baroda got off to a strong start with Shashwat Rawat and Abhimanyu Singh putting together a 92-run opening partnership. Shashwat hit 43 off just 16 balls, while Abhimanyu scored 53 off 17 deliveries, completing his half-century.
This solid foundation set the stage for Bhanu Pania, who played a blistering knock of 134 not out from 51 balls, including 5 fours and 15 sixes. His explosive innings had a strike rate of 262.75, leaving Sikkim’s bowlers powerless against his onslaught.
The batting charge didn’t stop there, as Shivalik Sharma added 55 off 17 balls, and Vishnu Solanki contributed 50 off 16 balls, helping Baroda reach an imposing total of 349, setting a new record in T20 cricket.
Earlier, India’s T20 captain, Suryakumar Yadav, marked his debut in the 2024 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with a solid 70 off 46 balls. Shivam Dube, returning from a three-month injury layoff, played a fiery knock of 71 off 37 balls, leading Mumbai to a 39-run victory over Services. Mumbai posted 192/4, powered by a 130-run partnership between Surya and Dube for the fourth wicket.
The duo of Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube hit a total of 11 sixes, with Dube dominating the tally. Surya struck seven boundaries, while Dube managed two fours. Surya’s sixes were mainly on the on-side, including one over long-on, a couple towards deep mid-wicket, and one behind square.
Both batsmen were ruthless against off-spinner Nitin Tanwar, who conceded 54 runs in his four overs.
In response, Services were bowled out for 153 in 19.3 overs. Shardul Thakur made a strong comeback, taking 4 wickets for 25 runs, while left-arm spinner Shams Mulani supported with 3 wickets. Dube was named Player of the Match after also taking a wicket in the field.