Krunal Pandya Struggles As RCB Star Concedes 59 Runs; Naman Dhir Shines With Five Wickets

The IPL 2025 mega auction wrapped up with a grand two-day event in Jeddah, setting the stage for the upcoming IPL season. Teams have now finalised their squads for this new cycle.

While IPL 2025 is still over three months away, cricket enthusiasts can enjoy the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT). This domestic tournament features top players like Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Varun Chakravarthy, and Rinku Singh showcasing their skills.

During the SMAT matches, Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Krunal Pandya had a challenging day on December 1. Acquired by RCB for Rs 5.75 crore, Krunal was expected to be a key player. However, he struggled against Saurashtra's batters in Baroda's match at Emerald Heights School Ground in Indore.

Krunal, who also leads Baroda, conceded 59 runs in his four overs as Harvik Desai and Ruchit Nair dominated him. Baroda lost the match by 78 runs, marking a tough outing for Krunal and his team.

In contrast, Manoj Bhandage from RCB took three wickets as Karnataka defeated Tamil Nadu. Another RCB bowler, Rasikh Salam Dar, impressed with three wickets against Manipur, helping Jammu & Kashmir secure an important victory.

Mumbai Indians' Naman Dhir delivered an outstanding performance by taking five wickets against Hyderabad. This effort was crucial in Punjab's victory. MI had used their RTM card to retain Naman for Rs 5.25 crore during the auction, and his figures of 5 for 19 justified their decision.

Kolkata Knight Riders' Ramandeep Singh made a significant impact for Punjab by scoring an unbeaten 39 off just 11 balls. His innings included five fours and three sixes.

Notable Performances Across Matches

In other matches, Priyansh Arya failed to score for Delhi but Ayush Badoni's unbeaten 70 off 39 balls led Delhi to victory over Himachal Pradesh. Mohammed Shami went wicketless for Bengal against Meghalaya while Abishek Porel from Delhi Capitals scored an unbeaten 61 off just 31 balls.

Kerala continued their winning streak against Goa in a rain-affected match where captain Sanju Samson contributed with a quickfire 31 runs from 15 deliveries.

The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy continues to provide thrilling cricket action as players prepare for the upcoming IPL season. Fans eagerly anticipate more exciting performances from these talented cricketers.