Ishan Kishan breaks MS Dhoni's world record, surpasses Sanju Samson to become first player in history to achieve rare T20 feat
Ishan Kishan etched his name in history by breaking MS Dhoni’s long-standing world record and surpassing Sanju Samson. The explosive left-hander became the first player ever to achieve the unique T20 batting milestone, delivering a statement knock that grabbed national attention.
Jharkhand’s captain, Ishan Kishan, lit up the MCA Stadium on Thursday night. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final against Haryana, he didn’t just put on a show—he rewrote the record books. Kishan smashed 101 off just 49 balls, clearing the ropes 10 times and pushing his tournament total to an eye-popping 33 sixes.
That’s not just good, it’s historic. He broke the world record for most sixes by a wicketkeeper-captain in any T20 tournament, jumping ahead of legends like MS Dhoni (who hit 30 in IPL 2018) and Nicholas Pooran (30 for MI Emirates). Now, Kishan sits alone at the top with 33.
Most Sixes by a WK-Captain in a T20 Tournament:
Ishan Kishan (Jharkhand): 33 (SMAT 2025)
MS Dhoni (CSK): 30 (IPL 2018)
Nicholas Pooran (MI Emirates): 30 (ILT20 2023-24)
But Kishan wasn’t done. He hammered his fifth T20 hundred as a designated wicketkeeper, overtaking Sanju Samson’s four and tying with Kamran Akmal globally. Only Quinton de Kock, with seven, has more.
This was a captain’s innings, no doubt. Jharkhand piled up 262, powered by Kishan at the top and a blistering 177-run partnership with Kumar Kushagra (81 from 38). Kishan finished the tournament with 517 runs—the most by any captain or wicketkeeper in a single SMAT season. His strike rate? An outrageous 197.32. That’s the kind of number that grabs every selector’s attention.
ISHAN KISHAN - THE ONLY CAPTAIN TO WIN SMAT FOR JHARKHAND IN HISTORY
— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) December 18, 2025
- The Celebrations of Captain Ishan Kishan & Jharkhand team with the SMAT Trophy!
pic.twitter.com/MpNmwKb1MM
Let’s sum up the milestones:
- First player ever to hit 30+ sixes in a T20 tournament as a wicketkeeper-captain.
- Only the second player to score a hundred in a SMAT final (after Anmolpreet Singh).
- Now shares the record for most career SMAT centuries (five, tied with Abhishek Sharma).
Kishan’s run—517 runs, 33 sixes, and two centuries—stands out as one of the most dominant stretches we’ve ever seen in Indian domestic cricket. At 27, he’s not just back—he’s reminding everyone why he’s one of the most explosive T20 openers anywhere.
Jharkhand triumphed in the match by 69 runs, marking Kishan as the first skipper to guide the state to India's top T20 trophy. This victory represents Jharkhand's second senior title, following their Vijay Hazare trophy win in 2010-11 under the leadership of Sourabh Tiwary.