SMAT 2024: Ajinkya Rahane smashes 98 (56) in semi-final, leaves Twitterati awestruck with sensational T20 form

Published at :December 13, 2024 at 5:21 PM

Modified at :December 13, 2024 at 5:21 PM

Ajinkya Rahane was bought by KKR in IPL 2025 mega auction for INR 1.5 crores.

Ajinkya Rahane showcased his T20 masterclass again by playing a match-winning knock of 98 runs off 56 balls to send Mumbai to the final of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT).

In Bengaluru on Friday, Rahane’s blistering knock blew Baroda away in the semi-final as Mumbai stormed past the 159-run target with 16 balls to spare. Rahane, enjoying an amazing domestic season registered his fifth half-century of the SMAT 2024. However, the Mumbai captain fell agonizingly short of what would have been an blazing century.

Ajinkya’s batting pyrotechnics at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, which included 11 fours and five sixes, came at an impressive strike rate of 175. The 35-year-old Mumbai batter has been in red-hot form in the competition, amassing 366 runs in eight matches at a strike rate of 169.

The classy right-hander has so far registered scores of – 13, 52, 68, DNB, 22, 95, 84 and 98 in eight games. His innings against Baroda also made him the highest run-scorer in SMAT 2024.

Rahane’s resurgence in T20 cricket started with his stint at Chennai Super Kings (CSK). He was a key player in the franchise’s title-winning campaign in 2023, contributing 326 runs with a strike rate of over 172.

At the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 auction, Rahane initially went unsold but was later picked up by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for his base price of INR 1.5 crore. Following Shreyas Iyer’s departure, Rahane has emerged as a strong candidate to be the next KKR captain.

Fans react to Ajinkya Rahane’s sensational form in SMAT 2024:

Rahane saab is the leading run scorer of the SMAT season at an average and strike rate of 63 and 168. What even happened to him all of a sudden pic.twitter.com/aYvWm3YOMD
— Heisenberg ☢ (@internetumpire) December 13, 2024

-Scored fifties multiple times when he was on verge to get dropped from test team.-Now scoring some great runs in SMAT to get KKR captaincy and permanent place in playing XI.Professor Rahane the mastermind 🫡🔥 pic.twitter.com/RxFkR34Cnk
— TukTuk Academy (@TukTuk_Academy) December 13, 2024

Ajinkya Rahane is not even knocking the doors of selection now. He is breaking it 🤯 pic.twitter.com/XrEdCiCvyA
— Dinda Academy (@academy_dinda) December 13, 2024

366 RUNS AT A STRIKE RATE OF 172 FOR RAHANE IN SYED MUSHTAQ ALI 🥶 pic.twitter.com/c9K29AjgcW
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) December 13, 2024

Rahane's SMAT campaign is making me regret just a tiny bit that we didn't bid for him. What are these weird feelings. 😭
— Manya (@CSKian716) December 13, 2024

Rahane is having one unbelievable season in SMAT20. One failure in 6-7 innings with crazy strike rates every other game 🧐
— arfan (@Im__Arfan) December 13, 2024

like many others wasn't paying much heed to this version of Rahane but man such consistency is unreal. Never thought will be excited to watch Rahane bat in the IPL
— Abhay (@ImAbhay3) December 13, 2024

Out of form, Out of favour, in his twilight Ajinkya Rahane has shown more spark and urgency to trigger his t20 batting prowess in last 3 years, leave aside the upcoming Indian stars and their fearless exploits…And then there are Babar and Rizwan!
— Gagan Chawla (@toecrushrzzz) December 13, 2024

Ajinkya Rahane my word. Watch his wagon-wheel today. Flicks, drives, slices, cuts, pulls. He is showing that he doesn't even belong to such low level tournaments. Batting like a dream if that is a thing. pic.twitter.com/E906yXkefp
— 🖤 (@ameye_17) December 13, 2024

rahane. one of the most elegant underachievers. dream start to his test career. VC in test. backed by the virat massively too. (defended him various times saying "rahane's contribution is beyond numbers) just that he couldn't take himself to another level ever.
— Chango Tarlie 🦉 (@owl_corner) December 13, 2024

Ajinkya Rahane’s Routine 👉 Eat. Sleep. Score big. Repeat 🔄 pic.twitter.com/0dMuEEjrlv
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) December 13, 2024

Rahane last represented India in test cricket during the 2023 series against the West Indies, while his most recent T20I appearance dates back to 2016. Rahane will aim to get a recall into the Indian national team following his impressive run in the domestic circuit.

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