Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy offers players chance to impress IPL scouts
The domestic T20 tournament begins this weekend ahead of the IPL mini-auction scheduled for December 16 in Goa.
The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) begins this weekend across five venues, including Kolkata, Mumbai, Mohali, Indore and Sovima in Nagaland, according to the Times of India. The tournament serves as a platform for uncapped players to secure Indian Premier League (IPL) contracts before the mini-auction in Goa on December 16.
The competition ends on December 6, leaving franchises 10 days to assess talent. Established players such as T20 World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav, recently retired Test pacer Mohammed Shami and senior all-rounder Shardul Thakur will also participate to pursue international or IPL opportunities.
Among those seeking to make an impression is opener Prithvi Shaw, who led Maharashtra. Shaw, who was signed by Delhi Capitals last season but did not play, aims to reclaim his position. Uttar Pradesh all-rounder Prashant Veer, who was signed by Chennai Super Kings for Rs 14.2 crore at the last auction, will also be under scrutiny.
The tournament features 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who will captain Bihar in their first two matches. Other players looking for strong performances include Deepak Chahar, Manish Pandey, Shikhar Mohan, Shashank Singh and Digvesh Rathi.
The tournament follows the first leg of the Ranji Trophy, testing players' ability to switch formats. It also follows the Vijay Hazare Trophy, according to the Hindustan Times.