Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2023: Decoding the four semi-finalists
What's the story
Punjab, Assam, Baroda, and Delhi have reached the semi-finals of the 2023 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. While Baroda have won two SMAT titles, Punjab finished runners-up twice, both times losing to Gujarat. Delhi won the title back in the 2017-18 season defeating Rajasthan, whereas this is Assam's maiden semi-final appearance. Hence, it is a great opportunity for the teams to lift the crown.
Baroda
Baroda defeated Mumbai to reach the last four
Led by Krunal Pandya, Baroda finished third in Group A behind Mumbai and Hyderabad. They won five out of six matches, earning 20 points. However, they avenged their three-run defeat against Mumbai in the group stage with a three-wicket win over them in the quarter-finals. Baroda didn't qualify for the knockouts last season so this is a drastic improvement for the team.
Punjab
Punjab remain one of the most consistent teams
Punjab topped Group C with six wins and a solitary defeat, earning 24 points. They suffered a 37-run defeat against Saurashtra in their first group game. After that, they have won seven games on the bounce. Punjab defeated Uttar Pradesh by five wickets in the quarter-finals to reach the last four. Against Andhra, they registered the highest total of 275/6 in SMAT's history.
Delhi
Flawless Delhi will aim to continue their winning streak
Delhi won all of their five games in the group stage while the match against Uttar Pradesh was abandoned. Having featured in the quarter-finals last season, Yash Dhull's men have experience of playing in the big stages. They defeated Vidarbha in the quarter-finals by 39 runs, taking last season's revenge Bowling has been Delhi's strength this season as they have restricted teams pretty well.
Assam
Assam are the surprise package this season
Led by the magnificent Riyan Parag, Assam have played fearless cricket in the 2023 SMAT. They finished third in Group B winning five out of seven games, earning 20 points. Assam lost to Odisha and Chandigarh in the group stage Assam defeated Bengal in the preliminary quarter-finals before winning against Kerala in the quarter-finals to reach the last four. Both their wins were convincing.
Stats
A look at the key players from these teams
Parag managed seven consecutive T20 fifties and is the highest run-getter this season with 502 runs. Meanwhile, Punjab's Abhishek Sharma has amassed 408 runs, slamming two centuries. Delhi's Suyash Sharma has claimed 16 wickets in his maiden SMAT campaign. He scalped a fifer on debut against Madhya Pradesh. Baroda's Atit Sheth has returned with 15 wickets at an average of 11.73.
Schedule
Here's the schedule for the 2023 SMAT semi-finals
The first semi-finals of 2023 SMAT will see Punjab host Delhi at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium on November 4. The match will start at 10:30 AM IST. On the other hand, Baroda will face Assam in the other semi-final at the same venue in Punjab on the same day from 4:30pm IST. Assam have a chance to create history with a win.