SMAT: Venkatesh Iyer hammers fiery 55* ahead of IPL auction
What's the story
All-rounder Venkatesh Iyer made a mark with a blistering half-century in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy clash against Bihar. The Madhya Pradesh star scored an unbeaten 55 off 34 balls as his side posted 174/8 batting first. Iyer, who batted at six in the game, aced the finisher's role. Notably, this knock came days before the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction.
Knock
A fine hand from Iyer
MP were reeling at 43/4 when Iyer arrived to bat. He rescued his team with a 66-run stand with fellow half-centurion Harsh Gawli. Iyer continued to bat well after Gawli's departure and gave his side a much-needed impetus toward the end. He returned unbeaten on 55 as MP finished at 174/8. Iyer hammered one four and four sixes during his stay.
Stats
18th fifty in T20 cricket
This was Iyer's 18th fifty across 137 T20 games as he also boasts a hundred. He has now raced to 3,104 runs at an average of 35.67. His strike rate is 140.51. The star player also owns 50 T20 wickets with the ball. A consistent performer in SMAT, the southpaw now owns 1,483 runs in the competition at 44.93 (50s: 6).
DYK
A forgettable IPL 2025 for Iyer
Notably, Iyer could only manage 142 runs across 11 matches in IPL 2025 at an average of 20.29. The southpaw was acquired by defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for a staggering ₹23.75 crore during the mega auction but failed to deliver. On expected lines, he was released ahead of the 2026 auction, which will be held on December 15 in Abu Dhabi.
Prospect
Will Iyer go massive under the hammer?
The knock against Bihar might have bolstered Iyer's chances of fetching a handsome amount at the upcoming IPL auction. Coming to his IPL numbers, he has racked up 1,468 runs from 62 matches at a strike rate of 137.32. His tally includes a ton and 12 half-centuries. Iyer, who debuted with KKR in 2021, was at his best in 2024 and 2023.