Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy 2021: Top five performers

The 2021-22 edition of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy has been done and dusted with Tamil Nadu emerging winners for the second successive time. It was indeed a fascinating competition as several players across states managed to make a significant mark. While some prominent names lived up to the expectation, some unknown players also did the talking and impressed several fans and experts.

The final clash couldn’t have been a better one Karnataka and Tamil Nadu left no stones unturned to get the glory. While Karnataka’s win looked pretty certain with the Vijay Shankar-led side struggling in their chase of 152. However, Shahrukh Khan’s stellar cameo changed the course of the game. Notably, the dasher smashed a brilliant six when five runs were needed off the final delivery.

Meanwhile, let’s look at the top five performers of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021:

Deepak Hooda

Matches – 6, Runs – 294, Average – 73.50, Strike Rate – 168

Playing for Rajasthan this season, the former Baroda all-rounder didn’t miss out on making a mark. The dasher often found himself in a tricky situation but he embraced the challenge with brilliance. Hooda just didn’t showcase his big-hitting skills but also the ability to pace the knock. In fact, his tally of 294 is the second-highest for any batter in the competition.

Tanmay Agarwal 

Matches – 7, Runs – 334, Average – 55.66, Strike Rate – 148.44

Hyderabad opener Tanmay Agarwal performed consistently and ended up as the leading-run scorer of the competition. While Agarwal made brilliant use of the powerplay restrictions and attacked bowlers straightway, his knack of playing long knocks made him even more lethal. In seven matches, the right-handed batter smashed 334 runs with his average and strike rate being over 50 and 140 respectively.

Rishi Dhawan

Matches – 6, Runs – 117, Batting Strike Rate – 127.17, Wickets – 14, Economy Rate – 7.14

ICYMI: @rishid100 runs riot with 6/23 👍 👍

The Himachal Pradesh skipper, who had scored a brisk 45* with the bat, then stole the show with the ball against Jammu & Kashmir. 🔥 🔥 #JKvHP #SyedMushtaqAliT20

Watch that bowling performance 🎥 🔽https://t.co/T3PUTPSnVK pic.twitter.com/Kj5PJGykWR

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) November 8, 2021

Arguably the best all-rounder in the tournament, Rishi Dhawan impressed one and all with his three-dimensional abilities. While the right-arm pacer made brilliant use of the slow pitches and scalped 14 wickets in just six games, joint second-highest for any bowler in the competition. He also scored a total of 117 runs in the T20 tournament.

Cheepurapalli Stephen

Matches – 6, Runs – Wickets – 14, Economy Rate – 6.05, Strike Rate – 8.5

This left-arm pacer from Andhra Pradesh was one of the finds of the competition. Cheepurapalli Stephen not only picked up crucial wickets for the side but also maintained a good economy rate in the matches. As far as his numbers, the 27-year-old finished as the joint second-highest wicket-taker with 14 wickets in five games. Notably, he maintained a staggering economy rate of 6.05.

Chama Milind

Matches – 7, Runs – Wickets – 18, Economy Rate – 8.41, Strike Rate – 8.2

The highest wicket-taker of the competition, Chama Milind had to feature in this list. The left-arm pacer from Hyderbad was a nemesis for batters throughout the competition as he picked wickets in all stages. Although his economy rate is on a tad higher side, nothing can deny Milind was instrumental in taking Hyderabad to the semi-finals.