Sanju Samson scores 45 off 13 balls, Vignesh Puthur shines on Debut as Kerala trounce Chhattisgarh in SMAT 2025

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Kerala registered a terrific victory over Chhattisgarh by 8 wickets in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Elite Group A match on November 30 at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.

After winning the toss and bowling first, Kerala's bowlers restricted Chhattisgarh to just 120 runs, with KM Asif taking 3-16 and Vignesh Puthur claiming 2-29 on debut. Chhattisgarh's Amandeep Khare top-scored with 41, but wickets tumbled post-powerplay.

Sanju Samson's Explosive Start

Sanju Samson, captaining Kerala, opened with a blistering 43 off 15 balls. Samson hit 2 fours and 5 massive sixes, providing the perfect launchpad before Ravi Kiran dismissed him at 72-1 in 4.2 overs. His aggressive knock set the tone for the chase, showcasing his T20 prowess despite recent domestic inconsistencies. Samson fell short of a half-century but ensured Kerala raced ahead early. Salman Nizar and Vishnu Vinod saw the chase through as Kerala won with 56 balls to spare.

Vignesh Puthur's Impressive Debut

Earlier, Vignesh Puthur, the 24-year-old left-arm spinner and recent IPL sensation with Mumbai Indians, made his senior Kerala debut and impressed with 2-29 from 4 overs. He dismissed Ajay Mandal and Prateek Yadav, breaking partnerships during Chhattisgarh's middle-order collapse. Apart from that, KM Asif was the star with the ball with 3 wickets.

Kerala lost their last match against Railways but have now come back roaring in this crucial encounter.