Kozhikode, Kerala: Salman Nizar, the Kerala middle-order batter, made waves in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on Friday with a sensational knock of 99 off just 49 balls against Mumbai.

The 26-year-old left-handed batter from Thalassery, Kannur district, showcased his power-hitting ability, smashing five fours and eight sixes in a blistering innings that almost took his team to victory. His explosive knock played a key role in Kerala posting a total of 234/5 in 20 overs, helping the team win by 43 runs.

Despite his impressive performance, Nizar went unsold in the recent IPL 2025 mega auction. Nizar’s T20 stats, with an average close to 40 and a strike rate of 135.93 in 24 matches prior to this game, highlight his consistency and potential in the format.

Born on June 30, 1997, Nizar made his debut for Kerala in 2015 in the first-class format against Assam. He followed up with his List A debut in 2017 and his T20 debut in 2018. Though his first T20 game saw him score just six runs, his record in the format since then has been commendable.

Nizar’s outstanding knock overshadowed the efforts of Mumbai’s experienced players, including Ajinkya Rahane, who scored 68 off 35 balls. While Prithvi Shaw and Shreyas Iyer made promising starts, their efforts fell short as Kerala restricted the visitors to 191/9. Kerala’s pacer, MD Nidheesh, was instrumental in the victory, taking 4 wickets for 30 runs.

The 140-run partnership for the third wicket between Nizar and Rohan Kunnummal (87 off 48 balls) in just 13.2 overs was the highlight of the match, with both batters smashing eight and seven sixes respectively.