SMAT 2025: Mumbai batter Sarfaraz Khan sent a strong message ahead of the IPL auction with a powerful knock in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on Tuesday, December 16, 2025. He scored 73 runs off just 22 balls against Rajasthan in a Super League Group B match at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. Sarfaraz reached his half century in 15 balls. His innings included six fours and seven sixes. The knock came barely an hour before the IPL auction began.

Despite a bright start to his Test career Sarfaraz has remained out of favour with national selectors. He also went unsold at the last IPL auction. Earlier this month Sarfaraz scored an unbeaten 100 off 47 balls against Assam. It was his first T20 hundred in more than two years. The innings helped Mumbai seal a big 98 run win.

Sarfaraz will be part of the first set of capped batters at the IPL 2026 auction. His base price has been fixed at Rs. 75 lakh.