The 2025 edition of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy has arrived — offering fans a fast-paced, edge-of-seat T20 tournament that brings together India’s top domestic talent. Whether you’re following for emerging stars, future international hopefuls, or just love good domestic T20 cricket, the 2025 SMAT promises excitement. Below is the comprehensive Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Schedule, along with team details, format, key dates and what to expect.
Tournament Overview & Format
- The 2025–26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy is the 18th edition of SMAT.
- Tournament dates: 26 November 2025 – 18 December 2025.
- Participants: 38 teams (state and regional teams) from across India.
- Structure:
- Teams divided into Elite Groups (A, B, C, D) — 32 teams.
- Plus a Plate Group for the remaining 6 teams.
- After group-stage/league matches, top teams advance to Super League / Knockout phase, leading to Quarterfinals, Semis, and Final.
- Total matches: 141 matches across the tournament.
- Matches will be played across multiple venues in India — giving spread across regions.
With this format, SMAT 2025 remains not just a domestic tournament — but a major platform for upcoming talent, seasoned state-players, and a preview for bigger T20 leagues (like IPL) and potential India call-ups.
Groups & Teams: Who’s Playing
Here is how the teams are grouped under the 2025 SMAT Schedule:
Elite Groups
| Group | Teams |
| Elite A | Andhra, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Mumbai, Odisha, Railways, Vidarbha |
| Elite B | Bihar, Chandigarh, Goa, Hyderabad, Jammu & Kashmir, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh |
| Elite C | Baroda, Bengal, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Services, Puducherry |
| Elite D | Delhi, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Saurashtra |
Plate Group
Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Sikkim
This grouping ensures balanced competition — giving both top-tier and developing teams a shot at glory, while also maintaining fairness.
Key Dates — Opening Fixtures, Knockouts & Final
Here’s a breakdown of key dates under the SMAT Schedule 2025:
- Start of tournament / League Stage begins: 26 November 2025
- League / Elite + Plate matches: end of first phase — roughly by early or mid-December.
- Knockout Stage (Super League / Quarterfinals / Semis / Final): Tournament runs up to 18 December 2025.
- Final Match — 18 December 2025: The climax of SMAT 2025.
Teams qualifying from Elite / Plate groups will enter the Super League / Knockouts. Every match, for lower or top-tier teams alike, becomes crucial — given the compact, high-stakes format.
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Schedule 2025: Elite Groups
| Date | Time (IST) | Match | Group |
| Nov 26 | 10:00 AM | Mumbai vs Railways | Elite Group A |
| Nov 26 | 10:00 AM | Karnataka vs Uttarakhand | Elite Group D |
| Nov 26 | 10:00 AM | Saurashtra vs Tripura | Elite Group D |
| Nov 26 | 10:00 AM | Gujarat vs Services | Elite Group C |
| Nov 26 | 10:00 AM | Himachal Pradesh vs Punjab | Elite Group C |
| Nov 26 | 10:00 AM | Goa vs Uttar Pradesh | Elite Group B |
| Nov 26 | 10:00 AM | Jammu and Kashmir vs Maharashtra | Elite Group B |
| Nov 26 | 10:00 AM | Chhattisgarh vs Vidarbha | Elite Group A |
| Nov 26 | 1:30 PM | Rajasthan vs Tamil Nadu | Elite Group D |
| Nov 26 | 1:30 PM | Delhi vs Jharkhand | Elite Group D |
| Nov 26 | 1:30 PM | Haryana vs Puducherry | Elite Group C |
| Nov 26 | 1:30 PM | Baroda vs Bengal | Elite Group C |
| Nov 26 | 1:30 PM | Hyderabad vs Madhya Pradesh | Elite Group B |
| Nov 26 | 1:30 PM | Bihar vs Chandigarh | Elite Group B |
| Nov 26 | 1:30 PM | Kerala vs Odisha | Elite Group A |
| Nov 26 | 1:30 PM | Andhra vs Assam | Elite Group A |
| Nov 28 | 10:00 AM | Rajasthan vs Tripura | Elite Group D |
| Nov 28 | 10:00 AM | Delhi vs Tamil Nadu | Elite Group D |
| Nov 28 | 10:00 AM | Haryana vs Punjab | Elite Group C |
| Nov 28 | 10:00 AM | Baroda vs Puducherry | Elite Group C |
| Nov 28 | 10:00 AM | Hyderabad vs Maharashtra | Elite Group B |
| Nov 28 | 10:00 AM | Bihar vs Madhya Pradesh | Elite Group B |
| Nov 28 | 10:00 AM | Kerala vs Railways | Elite Group A |
| Nov 28 | 10:00 AM | Andhra vs Odisha | Elite Group A |
| Nov 28 | 1:30 PM | Saurashtra vs Uttarakhand | Elite Group D |
| Nov 28 | 1:30 PM | Jharkhand vs Karnataka | Elite Group D |
| Nov 28 | 1:30 PM | Himachal Pradesh vs Services | Elite Group C |
| Nov 28 | 1:30 PM | Bengal vs Gujarat | Elite Group C |
| Nov 28 | 1:30 PM | Jammu and Kashmir vs Uttar Pradesh | Elite Group B |
| Nov 28 | 1:30 PM | Chandigarh vs Goa | Elite Group B |
| Nov 28 | 1:30 PM | Mumbai vs Vidarbha | Elite Group A |
| Nov 28 | 1:30 PM | Assam vs Chhattisgarh | Elite Group A |
| Nov 30 | 10:00 AM | Jharkhand vs Tripura | Elite Group D |
| Nov 30 | 10:00 AM | Karnataka vs Rajasthan | Elite Group D |
| Nov 30 | 10:00 AM | Bengal vs Punjab | Elite Group C |
| Nov 30 | 10:00 AM | Gujarat vs Haryana | Elite Group C |
| Nov 30 | 10:00 AM | Chandigarh vs Maharashtra | Elite Group B |
| Nov 30 | 10:00 AM | Goa vs Hyderabad | Elite Group B |
| Nov 30 | 10:00 AM | Assam vs Railways | Elite Group A |
| Nov 30 | 10:00 AM | Chhattisgarh vs Kerala | Elite Group A |
| Nov 30 | 1:30 PM | Tamil Nadu vs Uttarakhand | Elite Group D |
| Nov 30 | 1:30 PM | Delhi vs Saurashtra | Elite Group D |
| Nov 30 | 1:30 PM | Puducherry vs Services | Elite Group C |
| Nov 30 | 1:30 PM | Baroda vs Himachal Pradesh | Elite Group C |
| Nov 30 | 1:30 PM | Madhya Pradesh vs Uttar Pradesh | Elite Group B |
| Nov 30 | 1:30 PM | Bihar vs Jammu and Kashmir | Elite Group B |
| Nov 30 | 1:30 PM | Odisha vs Vidarbha | Elite Group A |
| Nov 30 | 1:30 PM | Andhra vs Mumbai | Elite Group A |
| Dec 2 | 10:00 AM | Karnataka vs Tamil Nadu | Elite Group D |
| Dec 2 | 10:00 AM | Delhi vs Tripura | Elite Group D |
| Dec 2 | 10:00 AM | Gujarat vs Puducherry | Elite Group C |
| Dec 2 | 10:00 AM | Baroda vs Punjab | Elite Group C |
| Dec 2 | 10:00 AM | Goa vs Madhya Pradesh | Elite Group B |
| Dec 2 | 10:00 AM | Bihar vs Maharashtra | Elite Group B |
| Dec 2 | 10:00 AM | Chhattisgarh vs Odisha | Elite Group A |
| Dec 2 | 10:00 AM | Andhra vs Railways | Elite Group A |
| Dec 2 | 1:30 PM | Jharkhand vs Saurashtra | Elite Group D |
| Dec 2 | 1:30 PM | Rajasthan vs Uttarakhand | Elite Group D |
| Dec 2 | 1:30 PM | Bengal vs Himachal Pradesh | Elite Group C |
| Dec 2 | 1:30 PM | Haryana vs Services | Elite Group C |
| Dec 2 | 1:30 PM | Chandigarh vs Jammu and Kashmir | Elite Group B |
| Dec 2 | 1:30 PM | Hyderabad vs Uttar Pradesh | Elite Group B |
| Dec 2 | 1:30 PM | Assam vs Mumbai | Elite Group A |
| Dec 2 | 1:30 PM | Kerala vs Vidarbha | Elite Group A |
| Dec 4 | 10:00 AM | Rajasthan vs Saurashtra | Elite Group D |
| Dec 4 | 10:00 AM | Jharkhand vs Uttarakhand | Elite Group D |
| Dec 4 | 10:00 AM | Haryana vs Himachal Pradesh | Elite Group C |
| Dec 4 | 10:00 AM | Bengal vs Services | Elite Group C |
| Dec 4 | 10:00 AM | Hyderabad vs Jammu and Kashmir | Elite Group B |
| Dec 4 | 10:00 AM | Chandigarh vs Uttar Pradesh | Elite Group B |
| Dec 4 | 10:00 AM | Kerala vs Mumbai | Elite Group A |
| Dec 4 | 10:00 AM | Assam vs Vidarbha | Elite Group A |
| Dec 4 | 1:30 PM | Delhi vs Karnataka | Elite Group D |
| Dec 4 | 1:30 PM | Tamil Nadu vs Tripura | Elite Group D |
| Dec 4 | 1:30 PM | Baroda vs Gujarat | Elite Group C |
| Dec 4 | 1:30 PM | Puducherry vs Punjab | Elite Group C |
| Dec 4 | 1:30 PM | Bihar vs Goa | Elite Group B |
| Dec 4 | 1:30 PM | Madhya Pradesh vs Maharashtra | Elite Group B |
| Dec 4 | 1:30 PM | Andhra vs Chhattisgarh | Elite Group A |
| Dec 4 | 1:30 PM | Odisha vs Railways | Elite Group A |
| Dec 6 | 10:00 AM | Jharkhand vs Tamil Nadu | Elite Group D |
| Dec 6 | 10:00 AM | Karnataka vs Saurashtra | Elite Group D |
| Dec 6 | 10:00 AM | Bengal vs Puducherry | Elite Group C |
| Dec 6 | 10:00 AM | Gujarat vs Himachal Pradesh | Elite Group C |
| Dec 6 | 10:00 AM | Chandigarh vs Madhya Pradesh | Elite Group B |
| Dec 6 | 10:00 AM | Goa vs Jammu and Kashmir | Elite Group B |
| Dec 6 | 10:00 AM | Assam vs Odisha | Elite Group A |
| Dec 6 | 10:00 AM | Chhattisgarh vs Mumbai | Elite Group A |
| Dec 6 | 1:30 PM | Delhi vs Rajasthan | Elite Group D |
| Dec 6 | 1:30 PM | Tripura vs Uttarakhand | Elite Group D |
| Dec 6 | 1:30 PM | Baroda vs Haryana | Elite Group C |
| Dec 6 | 1:30 PM | Punjab vs Services | Elite Group C |
| Dec 6 | 1:30 PM | Bihar vs Hyderabad | Elite Group B |
| Dec 6 | 1:30 PM | Maharashtra vs Uttar Pradesh | Elite Group B |
| Dec 6 | 1:30 PM | Andhra vs Kerala | Elite Group A |
| Dec 6 | 1:30 PM | Railways vs Vidarbha | Elite Group A |
| Dec 8 | 10:00 AM | Delhi vs Uttarakhand | Elite Group D |
| Dec 8 | 10:00 AM | Jharkhand vs Rajasthan | Elite Group D |
| Dec 8 | 10:00 AM | Baroda vs Services | Elite Group C |
| Dec 8 | 10:00 AM | Bengal vs Haryana | Elite Group C |
| Dec 8 | 10:00 AM | Bihar vs Uttar Pradesh | Elite Group B |
| Dec 8 | 10:00 AM | Chandigarh vs Hyderabad | Elite Group B |
| Dec 8 | 10:00 AM | Andhra vs Vidarbha | Elite Group A |
| Dec 8 | 10:00 AM | Assam vs Kerala | Elite Group A |
| Dec 8 | 1:30 PM | Karnataka vs Tripura | Elite Group D |
| Dec 8 | 1:30 PM | Saurashtra vs Tamil Nadu | Elite Group D |
| Dec 8 | 1:30 PM | Gujarat vs Punjab | Elite Group C |
| Dec 8 | 1:30 PM | Himachal Pradesh vs Puducherry | Elite Group C |
| Dec 8 | 1:30 PM | Goa vs Maharashtra | Elite Group B |
| Dec 8 | 1:30 PM | Jammu and Kashmir vs Madhya Pradesh | Elite Group B |
| Dec 8 | 1:30 PM | Chhattisgarh vs Railways | Elite Group A |
| Dec 8 | 1:30 PM | Mumbai vs Odisha | Elite Group A |
| Dec 12 | 10:00 AM | TBC vs TBC | Super League Group A |
| Dec 12 | 10:00 AM | TBC vs TBC | Super League Group B |
| Dec 12 | 1:30 PM | TBC vs TBC | Super League Group A |
| Dec 12 | 1:30 PM | TBC vs TBC | Super League Group B |
| Dec 14 | 10:00 AM | TBC vs TBC | Super League Group B |
| Dec 14 | 10:00 AM | TBC vs TBC | Super League Group A |
| Dec 14 | 1:30 PM | TBC vs TBC | Super League Group A |
| Dec 14 | 1:30 PM | TBC vs TBC | Super League Group B |
| Dec 16 | 10:00 AM | TBC vs TBC | Super League Group A |
| Dec 16 | 10:00 AM | TBC vs TBC | Super League Group B |
| Dec 16 | 1:30 PM | TBC vs TBC | Super League Group A |
| Dec 16 | 1:30 PM | TBC vs TBC | Super League Group B |
| Dec 18 | 10:00 AM | TBC vs TBC | Final |
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Schedule 2025: Plate Groups
| Date | Time (IST) | Match |
| 26 Nov | 9:00 AM | Mizoram vs Nagaland |
| 26 Nov | 11:00 AM | Meghalaya vs Sikkim |
| 26 Nov | 1:30 PM | Arunachal Pradesh vs Manipur |
| 28 Nov | 11:00 AM | Manipur vs Meghalaya |
| 28 Nov | 11:00 AM | Mizoram vs Sikkim |
| 28 Nov | 4:30 PM | Arunachal Pradesh vs Nagaland |
| 30 Nov | 11:00 AM | Manipur vs Mizoram |
| 30 Nov | 11:00 AM | Arunachal Pradesh vs Meghalaya |
| 30 Nov | 4:30 PM | Nagaland vs Sikkim |
| 2 Dec | 11:00 AM | Meghalaya vs Nagaland |
| 2 Dec | 11:00 AM | Arunachal Pradesh vs Mizoram |
| 2 Dec | 4:30 PM | Manipur vs Sikkim |
| 4 Dec | 11:00 AM | Arunachal Pradesh vs Sikkim |
| 4 Dec | 11:00 AM | Manipur vs Nagaland |
| 4 Dec | 4:30 PM | Meghalaya vs Mizoram |
| 6 Dec | 4:30 PM | Final – Top 2 Plate teams |
Broadcasting & How to Watch Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy
For 2025 SMAT:
- Matches will be live-streamed via JioHotstar.
- TV coverage via Star Sports Network (and other sports channels) — ensuring fans across India can catch action live.
Whether you follow from home or plan to attend at a stadium — SMAT remains accessible and fan-friendly.
Why SMAT 2025 Matters — What to Watch
Platform for Young Talent & Comebacks
SMAT has always been a breeding ground for upcoming talent — young batters, fast bowlers, all-rounders hoping to catch selectors’ eyes. SMAT 2025, with 38 teams and wide participation, offers numerous opportunities.
Also, experienced players often use SMAT as a stage for comebacks or to regain form — making the tournament unpredictable and exciting.
State Pride & Domestic Rivalries
Teams represent states/regions, so there’s natural pride, local support, and regional rivalries — adding spice to matches beyond just skill and tactics.
T20 Format, High Intensity
Given it’s T20 format, matches are fast, aggressive, and outcome-driven. This ensures excitement, unpredictability and entertaining cricket — making SMAT a must-watch for T20 fans.
Scouting & Talent Pipeline for Bigger Leagues
Performances in SMAT often influence selections for bigger T20 leagues (like Indian Premier League — IPL) and even national selection. SMAT 2025 could be especially important with upcoming IPL seasons and international T20 tournaments.
What’s New / Format Changes in 2025
The 2025–26 domestic cricket season — including SMAT — has seen some structural changes announced by the governing body (Board of Control for Cricket in India — BCCI).
- Plate Group re-introduced: Alongside Elite groups — giving bottom-ranked teams a fair chance rather than eliminating them upfront.
- Promotion / Relegation adjustment: Only one team moves between Elite and Plate groups each season (instead of two earlier) — balancing competitiveness and opportunity.
- Super League + Knockouts: After group/league matches, top teams enter a second phase (Super League), then knockout — combining consistency with high-stakes elimination format.
These changes aim to make SMAT more competitive, fairer, and offer broader representation across domestic cricket.
Historical Significance & What SMAT Represents Today
Since its inception, the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy has become India’s premier domestic T20 tournament — bridging the gap between first-class cricket (like Ranji Trophy) and big-money franchise leagues. It offers:
- A consistent seasonal platform for all state teams
- Exposure for young and emerging talent
- Competitive cricket ahead of IPL / international seasons
- A showcase for domestic cricket fans to follow local stars and rising players
With the 2025 edition’s broad participation and revised format, SMAT continues its tradition — but with renewed energy and wider inclusivity.
Looking Ahead
SMAT 2025 is set to be more competitive than ever, with 38 teams across Elite and Plate groups battling from 26 November to 18 December 2025. With the return of the Super-League format and a streamlined promotion/relegation policy, every match matters — making the tournament a crucial platform for players seeking visibility, consistency and a shot at bigger leagues.
For young cricketers and comeback-hopefuls alike, SMAT offers a real opportunity: strong performances in this edition could catch the eyes of scouts and selectors. Established teams may use SMAT to test combo strength in T20 format, while fans get early glimpses of future stars. With 141 matches scheduled across multiple venues, SMAT 2025 promises a thrilling mix of talent, competition and unpredictability.
Conclusion
As the 2025 edition of SMAT kicks off, the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Schedule gives fans and followers a clear roadmap: with the tournament running from 26 November 2025 to 18 December 2025. Across this period, 38 teams — split between Elite groups and the Plate group — will battle in a packed calendar of T20 action.
For fans, that means more cricket than ever before: matches across multiple venues, a mix of powerhouse state teams and underdog sides, and a chance to witness rising stars and domestic talents striving for recognition. The compact schedule — group stage, followed by Super-League / knockout rounds — ensures high stakes right from the start.
For players and selectors, the 2025 SMAT schedule offers a perfect platform: strong performances here could turn heads and pave the way for future opportunities in bigger leagues or national selection.
In short — with SMAT 2025 now underway, cricket fans have nearly a month of competitive, high-intensity domestic T20 cricket to look forward to. Save your dates, follow the fixtures, and enjoy the show.
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