Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final: Will remember last-ball six for a long time, says Shahrukh Khan

Tamil Nadu all-rounder Shahrukh Khan on Monday said it was a dream-come-true moment for him to hit a six off the final delivery and win his team the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title. Shahrukh held his nerves when TN needed 5 off the final delivery in a thrilling final against arch-rivals Karnataka and hit a huge six to help win the final at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.

Shahrukh Khan had walked into bat when Tamil Nadu were in a spot of bother in their chasse of 152. Opener Narayan Jagadeesan and captain Vijay Shankar fell in successive deliveries to KC Cariappa in the 16th over after the duo struggled to keep the asking rate in check in the middle overs. The Punjab Kings big-hitter walked in when TN needed 57 runs from 22 balls.

Shahrukh Khan, who has made a name for himself as a proven finisher in domestic cricket, showcased his skills once again, hitting 33 not out in just 15 balls, which included 3 sixes and a boundary. TN needed 22 runs in the last 7 balls and Shahrukh finished the penultimate over with a six. He was on strike when Karnataka were defending 5 runs off the last ball.

Prateek Jain, Karnataka’s left-arm pacer, tried to cramp Shahrukh for room by targeting his boots but the TN big-hitter flicked one into the stands before setting off to celebrate the memorable victory.

“It has been a special thing to hit a last-ball six. I’ll remember this for a long time,” Shahrukh Khan said after the last-ball six.

“There were a lot of things in my mind, but I tried to keep it simple. The ball was rough and the wicket was slow, so I wanted to connect it off the middle. I was waiting to hit it over long-on, and I got the room to get it over square leg,” he added.

TN TOP-ORDER HAD TRUST IN ME: SHAHRUKH

Shahrukh Khan said it’s unfair to point fingers at Jagadeesan for the 46-ball 41 and highlighted that the pitch in New Delhi was a bit slow in the middle-overs during Tamil Nadu’s chase.

“We played a bit slow in the middle, but that’s the trend of our team – the roles are well-defined, and the top order had trust in me and Mohammed,” he added.

C. H. A. M. P. I. O. N. S! #TNvKAR #SyedMushtaqAliT20 #Final @TNCACricket pic.twitter.com/PU3kuctOB6

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) November 22, 2021

Shahrukh Khan’s fireworks made sure Tamil Nadu became the most successful team in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy history, as they won their 3rd title, going past the likes of Gujarat, Baroda and Karnataka who have 2 titles each. Notably, Karnataka had won their last title in 2019, beating rivals TN by 1 run in the final. The TN win also ended Karnataka’s unbeaten run in the finals of domestic white-ball tournaments.

Meanwhile, captain Vijay Shankar said it’s memorable to end up on the right side of the result in their battle against rivals Karnataka in New Delhi.

“We played fantastic cricket throughout. Everyone fought hard and it’s the best game I’ve been part of. This innings was due from SRK, he was hitting it well in the nets,” Shankar said.

“Karnataka and TN always have a rivalry and we are happy to end up on the winning side,” he added.