SMAT 2025: 5 wickets fell for 56 runs, still the team chased the target of 206 runs, this is how the whole match changed

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Andhra Pradesh registered a thrilling victory. (Photo-X/BCCI)

Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy: Andhra Pradesh registered a thrilling and memorable victory against Punjab in the Super League Group A match of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025-26. In this match played at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune, Andhra achieved the target of 206 runs by losing only 5 wickets in 19.5 overs. This chase proved to be historic for Andhra, because at one time the team was in trouble, but the bravery of two batsmen completely changed the course of the game and snatched the victory from Punjab.

Punjab put a big score on the board

Batting first, Punjab scored 205 runs for 5 wickets in 20 overs. Their innings had a good start, where Harnoor Singh played useful innings of 42 runs in 30 balls and Anmolpreet Singh played useful innings of 47 runs in 27 balls. Later, Salil Arora played an unbeaten 42 and Ramandeep Singh played a quick inning of 43 runs in 18 balls, taking the score beyond 200 runs. In Andhra’s bowling, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Saurabh Kumar, Satyanarayana Raju and Prithvi Raj took one wicket each.

Andhra Pradesh registered a thrilling victory

Andhra had a very bad start while chasing the target. The team had lost 5 wickets for 56 runs in just 8.1 overs. Openers Ashwin Hebbar and Srikar Bharat were out early, while Nitish Kumar Reddy returned to the pavilion without opening the account. Captain Ricky Bhui and Payla Avinash also could not last long. Punjab bowler Gurnoor Brar had pushed Andhra on the backfoot by taking three wickets.

But from here the picture of the match changed. Marmareddy Hemanth Reddy and SDNV Prasad converted defeat into victory by making an incredible 155-run partnership for the sixth wicket. Hemanth Reddy scored unbeaten 109 runs on 53 balls, which included 11 fours and 7 sixes. At the same time, Prasad scored unbeaten 53 runs in 35 balls, in which he hit 2 fours and 4 sixes. Together they scored runs quickly in the last overs and gave the team victory with one ball to spare. With this, despite scoring more than 200 runs, Punjab had to face defeat for the second consecutive match. At the same time, Andhra Pradesh achieved its first win in the Super League.

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