The league stage of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025 came to a close on Monday, December 8, confirming the eight sides that will progress into the Super League phase. With only the top two teams from each group advancing, the competition saw several heavyweight teams crashing out. Krunal Pandya’s Baroda fell short in Group C, finishing third, while Maharashtra missed qualification agonisingly on Net Run Rate (NRR) as Madhya Pradesh edged past them.
Jharkhand emerged as the standout side, winning all seven of their matches, the only unbeaten team in the Elite stage. Mumbai finished with six wins from seven and will welcome back Yashasvi Jaiswal for the Super League. The defending champions look stronger as ever now, with Ajinkya Rahane and Sarfaraz Khan in incredible form as well. Meanwhile, traditional powerhouses like Delhi, Karnataka, Saurashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat failed to qualify.
SMAT: Teams qualified for Super League
The new format replaces the usual knockouts, with the qualified eight sides now split into two groups of four. Each team will play three Super League matches in Pune, and the group winners will contest the final on December 18.
Super League Groups: SMAT
| Group 1 | Group 2 |
|---|---|
| Mumbai (A1) | Punjab (C1) |
| Hyderabad (B1) | Jharkhand (D1) |
| Haryana (C2) | Andhra (A2) |
| Rajasthan (D2) | Madhya Pradesh (B2) |
Relegation & Promotion
Services finished bottom overall among the 32 Elite teams with just 4 points and will be relegated to the Plate Group next season. Himachal Pradesh and Bihar also ended on four points but survived due to a better Net Run Rate. Mizoram, Plate winners this year after beating Sikkim by 10 runs, will be promoted to the Elite group next season.
The Super League begins on December 12, and with Mumbai, Punjab and Jharkhand looking dangerous, fans are set for a thrilling battle to December 18.
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Knockouts Schedule
| Match | Date | Time (IST) | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andhra vs Madhya Pradesh (Group 2) | Dec 12 | 9:00 AM | DY Patil Academy, Ambi |
| Haryana vs Rajasthan (Group 1) | Dec 12 | 11:00 AM | MCA Stadium, Pune |
| Punjab vs Jharkhand (Group 2) | Dec 12 | 1:30 PM | DY Patil Academy, Ambi |
| Mumbai vs Hyderabad (Group 1) | Dec 12 | 4:30 PM | MCA Stadium, Pune |
| Mumbai vs Haryana (Group 1) | Dec 14 | 9:00 AM | DY Patil Academy, Ambi |
| Andhra vs Punjab (Group 2) | Dec 14 | 11:00 AM | MCA Stadium, Pune |
| Hyderabad vs Rajasthan (Group 2) | Dec 14 | 1:30 PM | DY Patil Academy, Ambi |
| Madhya Pradesh vs Jharkhand (Group 2) | Dec 14 | 4:30 PM | MCA Stadium, Pune |
| Madhya Pradesh vs Punjab (Group 2) | Dec 16 | 9:00 AM | DY Patil Academy, Ambi |
| Mumbai vs Rajasthan (Group 1) | Dec 16 | 11:00 AM | MCA Stadium, Pune |
| Andhra vs Jharkhand (Group 2) | Dec 16 | 1:30 PM | DY Patil Academy, Ambi |
| Hyderabad vs Haryana (Group 1) | Dec 16 | 4:30 PM | MCA Stadium, Pune |
| Final: Group 1 Winner vs Group 2 Winner | Dec 18 | 4:30 PM | MCA Stadium, Pune |
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