History Of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) – Teams, Winners List

India’s largest T20 tournament, the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy history, holds significant importance in Indian domestic cricket. While many aspire to become cricketers due to the game’s immense popularity, playing for India is a challenging feat. International cricket’s glamour and the massive following of Indian cricketers often make it seem like a dream come true. However, becoming a part of this elite group requires more than just watching international matches.

For those pursuing a cricket career, understanding domestic cricket is crucial. Whether aiming for an international spot or a place in the IPL, showcasing talent at the domestic level is essential.

In our domestic cricket category, we will explore various tournaments organized by the BCCI and State Cricket Boards. This article focuses on the history of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, a vital component of Indian domestic cricket.

Who Was Syed Mushtaq Ali

The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, or SMAT, is a prominent T20 tournament organized by the BCCI, serving as a domestic T20 World Cup for all Indian states. Named in honor of Syed Mushtaq Ali, who played Test cricket for India from 1934 to 1952, the tournament pays tribute to his contributions to the sport.

Syed Mushtaq Ali, a talented batting all-rounder, played 11 Test matches for India, scoring 612 runs and taking 3 wickets. In first-class cricket, he amassed over 13,000 runs and took more than 150 wickets. Notably, he was also the first Indian to score a century in Test cricket during an away match.

History Of The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy

The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) is a domestic T20 tournament introduced before the inaugural T20 World Cup. As T20 cricket gained popularity in 2006, the BCCI established the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy to ensure India had a domestic T20 competition. The tournament began in 2006 as the Interstate T20 Championship, featuring 27 Ranji Trophy-playing state teams divided into 5 groups. In its inaugural season, Dinesh Karthik led Tamil Nadu to victory, winning the first T20 championship.

Rohit Sharma made history as the first Indian player to score a century in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and T20 cricket with a remarkable century against Gujarat in a league match. Despite a successful start, the tournament was overshadowed by the IPL following India’s 2007 T20 World Cup victory, leading to its abandonment in 2007 and 2008. The IPL, a franchise-based league, replaced the tournament.

The BCCI relaunched the tournament in 2009 under its new name, the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Since then, it has become a crucial part of Indian domestic cricket, with the SMAT being held annually. As of now, the tournament has completed a total of 16 seasons.

Winners List Of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy

In the 16 seasons of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Tamil Nadu has won the championship three times (2006, 2020, 2021), the most by any team in the tournament’s history. Baroda (2011, 2013), Karnataka (2018, 2019), and Gujarat (2012, 2014) have each won the trophy twice, making them the next most successful teams. Interestingly, the Mumbai team, which holds the top position in the Ranji Trophy, secured the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy only after 14 seasons of the tournament.

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List Of Teams Participate In SMAT

In the 2023-24 season of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, 38 teams participated. Below is a list of all the teams that competed in the previous season.

1. Andhra
2. Arunachal Pradesh
3. Assam
4. Baroda
5. Bengal
6. Bihar
7. Chandigarh
8. Chhattisgarh
9. Delhi
10. Goa
11. Gujarat
12. Haryana
13. Himachal Pradesh
14. Hyderabad
15. Jammu and Kashmir
16. Jharkhand
17. Karnataka
18. Kerala
19. Madhya Pradesh
20. Maharashtra
21. Manipur
22. Meghalaya
23. Mizoram
24. Mumbai
25. Nagaland
26. Odisha
27. Pondicherry
28. Punjab
29. Railways
30. Rajasthan
31. Saurashtra
32. Services
33. Sikkim
34. Tamil Nadu
35. Tripura
36. Uttar Pradesh
37. Uttarakhand
38. Vidarbha

Format And Rules Of The SMAT

The knockout stage of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy initially followed a round-robin format. For 13 seasons, state cricket boards competed broadly in this format. However, starting in 2016, the tournament changed to feature only the five zones in India. That year, teams from the south were grouped into the South Zone, while teams from the north, west, east, and central regions formed their respective zones. Consequently, only five teams participated in the tournament in 2016.

Before this change, organizers divided all state teams into 5 groups, where they played league matches against each other. The top 2 teams from each group advanced to the next stage, where they were divided into two Super League groups. These Super League groups then competed in a 10-team format, with the top two teams from each group reaching the final.

Currently, the format has evolved. In the latest Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, 38 teams participated, divided into 5 elite groups and one plate group. Each of the 5 elite groups contains 6 teams, totaling 30 teams, while the plate group consists of the remaining 8 teams. Each team plays 5 league-stage matches regardless of their group size. A victory earns 4 points, with the performance in these matches determining advancement in the tournament.

Knockout Stage Of The SMAT

The knockout stage of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy begins after all teams have completed their five matches in the group stage. In this phase, six teams will compete in three pre-quarterfinal matches. Additionally, five teams will advance directly to the quarter-finals, waiting for the winners of the pre-quarterfinals.

The three teams that win in the pre-quarters will join the five directly qualified teams to play in four quarter-final matches. The winners of these quarter-finals will progress to the semi-finals, with the victors of the semi-finals moving on to the final.

The qualification scenarios for the pre-quarters and quarter-finals are determined by various factors, including the final positions of teams in their respective groups. Notably, the knockout format can change from season to season, as the BCCI frequently updates the structure. However, the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021 was played according to the format described above.

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Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) – Records

Highest Individual Score: 147 by Shreyas Iyer (Mumbai) vs Sikkim (2019)

Most Trophy Wins: Tamil Nadu – 3

Most Runs: Harpreet Singh – 2,337 runs

Most Wickets: Siddharth Kaul – 120 wickets

Highest Team Total: 275/6 by Punjab vs Andhra (2023)

Lowest Team Total: 30 by Tripura vs Jharkhand (2009)

How Players Select To Play In The SMAT

Since the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy is sponsored by the BCCI, players who perform well in this tournament gain significant attention. Domestic players who excel in the SMAT often attract interest in the IPL auction, making it a golden opportunity for entering the Indian Premier League. IPL franchises frequently draft young players who have showcased their talent in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, increasing their chances of playing in franchise cricket.

As the largest domestic T20 tournament in India, the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy also features Indian players who represent their country at the international level. To participate, players must be members of their State Cricket Board, meaning only those who regularly play for their state team are eligible. This makes the tournament similar to the Ranji Trophy as a state-level competition. Unfortunately, cricket aspirants from the district level cannot compete in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

This concludes the brief history of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. I hope you found this article informative. Thank you for reading, and have a great day! 🙂

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