Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026-27: Teams, Schedule, Fixtures, Results, Points Table & Winners
Follow the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026-27, India’s premier domestic T20 cricket championship. Explore the complete schedule, 38 teams, Elite and Plate group fixtures, live scores, points tables, Super League format, squads, venues, historical records, winners list and tournament format.
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026-27 at a Glance
The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026-27 marks the 19th edition of India’s most prestigious domestic T20 cricket competition. Follow the latest Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy schedule, teams, fixtures, results and points tables as 38 state and regional sides compete for the T20 championship.
| Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy |
| Format | T20 (20 overs) |
| Country | India |
| Organised By | Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) |
| First Season | 2006-07 (as Inter-State T20) |
| Renamed | 2009-10 (honouring Syed Mushtaq Ali) |
| 2026-27 Edition | 19th Season |
| Teams | 38 (32 Elite + 6 Plate) |
| Elite Groups | 4 Groups (A, B, C, D) of 8 teams each |
| Plate Group | 1 Group of 6 teams |
| 2026-27 Start Date | November 2026 (TBC) |
| 2026-27 Final | December 2026 (TBC) |
| Defending Champion | Jharkhand (1st title, 2025-26) |
| Most Successful | Tamil Nadu (3 titles) |
| Live Streaming | JioHotstar |
| Live Scores | BCCI.tv / IndCricLeague |
What is the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy?
The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) is India’s premier domestic T20 cricket competition, organised annually by the BCCI. Named after Syed Mushtaq Ali — the legendary Indian batsman who became India’s first overseas Test centurion with a century at Old Trafford in 1936 — the tournament was inaugurated in 2006-07 as the Inter-State Twenty20 Championship and renamed in 2009-10 to honour the wristy strokeplayer from Indore.
Contested by 38 teams representing Indian states, union territories and regional cricket associations, the SMAT serves as the primary launching pad for Indian cricketers aiming to break into the Indian Premier League (IPL) and international white-ball cricket. The tournament’s compact T20 format, high-scoring matches and intense knockout stages make it one of the most-watched domestic competitions in the country.
The 2026-27 season follows India’s international white-ball calendar, including the India vs West Indies ODI series and the India vs Afghanistan T20I series. You can also follow India’s campaign at the Asian Games Cricket 2026.
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026-27 Season Summary
The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026-27 is scheduled to take place in November and December 2026, marking the 19th edition of the tournament. The competition features all 38 teams from the Ranji Trophy structure, divided into four Elite groups and one Plate group.
The tournament follows the Super League format introduced in recent seasons. The top two teams from each of the four Elite groups (8 teams total) qualify for the Super League, where they are divided into two groups of four. Each team plays three Super League matches, with the group toppers advancing to the final.
Jharkhand enter the 2026-27 season as defending champions after winning their maiden title in 2025-26. Led by Ishan Kishan, Jharkhand posted a record 262/3 in the final — the highest team total in a domestic T20 final — before defeating Haryana by 69 runs at the MCA Stadium in Pune. Ishan Kishan finished as the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 517 runs, while Anukul Roy was named Player of the Series.
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026-27 Teams
The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy features 38 teams divided into four Elite groups and one Plate group. Each Elite team plays seven group matches, while Plate teams play five.
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026-27 Format
The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy follows a group stage, Super League and final format.
Group Stage
32 Elite teams in 4 groups of 8. Each team plays 7 group matches. 6 Plate teams play 5 matches.
Super League
Top 2 from each Elite group (8 teams) qualify. Divided into Super League A & B (4 teams each). 3 matches per team.
Final
Group toppers from Super League A and B contest the T20 final. Winner crowned SMAT champion.
Promotion
Plate group winner earns promotion to Elite division for the following season. Bottom Elite team relegated.
Teams earn 4 points for a win and 2 points for a no-result. Net Run Rate (NRR) is used to separate teams level on points. The Super League format ensures that only the most consistent teams reach the knockout stage, while the Plate group provides a pathway for emerging cricket states.
The 2026-27 format follows the BCCI’s 2026-27 Domestic Season Ready Reckoner, with 4 Elite groups of 8 teams each, followed by the Super League stage and a standalone final.
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026-27 Schedule & Fixtures
The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026-27 schedule features group matches in November followed by the Super League and final in December. Check our live cricket scores page for match updates.
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026-27 Points Table
Elite Group A standings from the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026-27 league stage.
| Pos | Team | Mat | Won | Lost | NR | Pts | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mumbai | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2 | Punjab | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 3 | Gujarat | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 4 | Saurashtra | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 5 | Kerala | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 6 | Odisha | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 7 | Meghalaya | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 8 | Nagaland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
* Points table will be updated as matches are completed. All teams begin the season on 0 points.
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026-27 Key Squads
Expected squads and key players for the leading Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026-27 teams.
| Team | Captain | Key Players |
|---|---|---|
| Tamil Nadu | Dinesh Karthik / Vijay Shankar | Shahrukh Khan, Narayan Jagadeesan, Sai Kishore, Sandeep Warrier, Baba Indrajith |
| Mumbai | Shreyas Iyer / Ajinkya Rahane | Suryakumar Yadav, Sarfaraz Khan, Prithvi Shaw, Shardul Thakur, Tushar Deshpande |
| Karnataka | Manish Pandey / Mayank Agarwal | Devdutt Padikkal, Karun Nair, Shreyas Gopal, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Pravin Dubey |
| Jharkhand | Ishan Kishan | Anukul Roy, Utkarsh Singh, Vikash Singh, Kumar Kushagra, Varun Aaron |
| Gujarat | Axar Patel / Priyank Panchal | Chintan Gaja, Arzan Nagwaswalla, Urvil Patel, Het Patel, Ravi Bishnoi |
| Baroda | Krunal Pandya / Hardik Pandya | Jitesh Sharma, Shivalik Sharma, Lukman Meriwala, Babashafi Pathan, Vishnu Solanki |
| Punjab | Mandeep Singh / Abhishek Sharma | Prabhsimran Singh, Anmolpreet Singh, Naman Dhir, Harpreet Brar, Baltej Singh |
| Haryana | Himanshu Rana / Nishant Sindhu | Rahul Tewatia, Jayant Yadav, Anshul Kamboj, Yashvardhan Dalal, Aman Kumar |
Note: Final squads are subject to BCCI selection and player availability. Senior India players often feature in SMAT matches as part of their domestic cricket commitments, adding significant star power to the tournament and making it a crucial IPL scouting ground.
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026-27 Venues
SMAT matches are staged across multiple BCCI-approved venues simultaneously, ensuring efficient completion of the packed T20 schedule.
Other Venues: Alur Cricket Grounds (Bengaluru), Anantam Ground (Jaipur), JSCA International Stadium (Ranchi), Kotambi Stadium (Vadodara), Moti Bagh Stadium (Vadodara), KL Saini Ground (Jaipur), Gujarat College Ground (Ahmedabad), ADSA Railways Ground (Ahmedabad), NPR College Ground (Dindigul)
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy History
The tournament began in 2006-07 as the Inter-State Twenty20 Championship, with Tamil Nadu defeating Punjab in the inaugural final under Dinesh Karthik’s captaincy. It was renamed the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2009-10 to honour the legendary Indian batsman who was India’s first overseas Test centurion.
The format has evolved significantly over the years — from a zonal structure to the current group-based system with a Super League stage. The 2016-17 edition was contested by zonal teams, with East Zone (led by Manoj Tiwary) winning the title, before the BCCI returned to the state-based format the following season.
Tamil Nadu remain the most successful side with three titles, including a memorable back-to-back triumph in 2020-21 and 2021-22. Mumbai, Karnataka, Gujarat and Baroda have each won two titles. The 2025-26 season saw Jharkhand become the 12th different champion, with Ishan Kishan’s explosive batting leading them to a historic maiden title.
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Winners List
| Season | Champion | Runner-up | Winning Captain |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-07 | Tamil Nadu | Punjab | Dinesh Karthik |
| 2009-10 | Maharashtra | Hyderabad | Rohit Motwani |
| 2010-11 | Bengal | Madhya Pradesh | Manoj Tiwary |
| 2011-12 | Baroda | Punjab | Pinal Shah |
| 2012-13 | Gujarat | Punjab | Parthiv Patel |
| 2013-14 | Baroda | Uttar Pradesh | Aditya Waghmode |
| 2014-15 | Gujarat | Punjab | Manpreet Juneja |
| 2015-16 | Uttar Pradesh | Baroda | Suresh Raina |
| 2016-17 | East Zone | Central Zone | Manoj Tiwary |
| 2017-18 | Delhi | Rajasthan | Pradeep Sangwan |
| 2018-19 | Karnataka | Maharashtra | Manish Pandey |
| 2019-20 | Karnataka | Tamil Nadu | Manish Pandey |
| 2020-21 | Tamil Nadu | Baroda | Dinesh Karthik |
| 2021-22 | Tamil Nadu | Karnataka | Vijay Shankar |
| 2022-23 | Mumbai | Himachal Pradesh | Ajinkya Rahane |
| 2023-24 | Punjab | Baroda | Mandeep Singh |
| 2024-25 | Mumbai | Madhya Pradesh | Shreyas Iyer |
| 2025-26 | Jharkhand | Haryana | Ishan Kishan |
| 2026-27 | TBD | TBD | TBC |
Most Successful Teams: Tamil Nadu (3), Mumbai (2), Karnataka (2), Gujarat (2), Baroda (2), Jharkhand (1), Punjab (1), Delhi (1), Uttar Pradesh (1), Bengal (1), Maharashtra (1), East Zone (1).
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Records
Why the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Is Crucial for Indian Cricket
The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy is the most important domestic T20 competition in India and serves as the primary launching pad for the Indian Premier League (IPL). National selectors, IPL scouts and franchise analysts closely monitor every match, with standout performances frequently leading to lucrative IPL contracts and India T20I call-ups.
For white-ball specialists, the SMAT provides a structured T20 environment to develop power-hitting, death bowling and spin variations. The tournament’s high-pressure knockout matches simulate IPL conditions, giving players invaluable experience before the world’s biggest T20 league begins.
The 2026-27 season arrives after India’s international white-ball schedule that includes the West Indies ODI series and the Afghanistan T20I series. It also serves as preparation for the Asian Games Cricket 2026, where India’s best T20 players will represent the nation.
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy FAQs
What is the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy?
The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) is India’s premier domestic T20 cricket competition, organised by the BCCI. It features 38 teams competing in a group stage, Super League and final format.
When did the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy start?
The tournament began in 2006-07 as the Inter-State Twenty20 Championship. It was renamed the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2009-10 to honour the legendary Indian batsman.
How many teams play in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy?
The tournament features 38 teams — 32 in the Elite division (4 groups of 8) and 6 in the Plate division.
Which team has won the most Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy titles?
Tamil Nadu is the most successful team with 3 titles (2006-07, 2020-21, 2021-22). Mumbai, Karnataka, Gujarat and Baroda have each won 2 titles.
Who won the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025-26?
Jharkhand won their maiden SMAT title in 2025-26, defeating Haryana by 69 runs in the final at Pune. Ishan Kishan captained the side and scored 517 runs in the tournament.
Where can I watch Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026-27 live?
Matches are streamed live on JioHotstar and the BCCI.tv platform. Select matches are also broadcast on the Star Sports Network. Live scores are available on IndCricLeague.
What is the format of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy?
The tournament follows a group stage where Elite teams play 7 matches and Plate teams play 5. The top 2 from each Elite group qualify for the Super League (two groups of 4). Group toppers advance to the final.
When is the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026-27 played?
The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026-27 is scheduled for November to December 2026, typically running for approximately 5-6 weeks including the Super League and final.
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