NEW DELHI: India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal will join the Mumbai squad for the knockout stage of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), India’s premier domestic T20 tournament, starting from December 9 in Pune.

Mumbai chief selector Sanjay Patil confirmed to TOI that Jaiswal will be available from December 11 and will replace young opener Ayush Mhatre, who will lead the India Under-19 team in the upcoming U-19 Asia Cup in Dubai.

Mhatre, who scored two hundreds in the SMAT league stage, will play Mumbai’s final league game against Odisha in Lucknow before joining the Under-19 camp. Mumbai’s knockout stage will follow the ‘Super 4’ format, with matches scheduled on December 12, 14, and 16, and the final on December 18. The team is set to depart for Pune on December 10.

Jaiswal comes into the tournament fresh off a brilliant performance in the third ODI against South Africa at Visakhapatnam, where he scored his maiden international century.

He played a composed and dominating innings of 116 not out off 121 deliveries, hitting 12 fours and two sixes. His match-winning partnership with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli helped India chase down the target and clinch the series.

With this confidence-boosting performance, Jaiswal will look to carry his form into the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and deliver for Mumbai in the knockout stage.