SMAT 2025-26 — Handling pressure the key in final, says Jharkhand captain Ishan Kishan

Ishan Kishan knows what it takes to perform under pressure. But as he leads Jharkhand in the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he wants his teammates to ‘keep calm, and focus on executing the plans’.

Ishan has led from the front, scoring 416 runs in 10 matches, and as the team chases its maiden title, Ishan admits that handling pressure will be the key against Haryana. “There is obviously a bit of pressure, but you have to keep yourself calm, and keep the nerves in control. We need to assess what’s happening in the game, and handle things accordingly,” Ishan said on Wednesday.

“Haryana has had a very good T20 tournament as well, and they have been playing very good cricket over the last couple of years, so there could be a pressure situation, but we need to stay calm and believe in ourselves because in T20s, one over changes the whole game,” he said.

While his primary objective will be to ensure that maximum runs are scored in the PowerPlay, Ishan also aims to win the key moments in the game. 

It’s a similar strategy for Haryana captain Ankit Kumar. “We lost two of our three games in the league stage, so for us every game has been like a knockout, and we will approach the game with a similar mindset,” he said.

“A couple of seasons ago, we won the Vijay Hazare Trophy and now we are in the final of the SMAT, so it’s a great feeling. The aim is to play our natural game and fulfil our dreams of clinching the major title,” he said, adding: “There have been high-scoring matches here, so our aim is to cash in on the PowerPlay and score as many runs as possible. My personal motto is to back myself and play my shots.”

The strategy has been successful so far, and Ankit hopes that it works out in the final, too.

Published on Dec 17, 2025