Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Goa delivered a powerful all-round performance to secure a 52-run victory against Chandigarh in their Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy encounter at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Friday. The team combined resilient batting with disciplined bowling to register their first win of the season.
Batting first, Goa put up 173 for 6 in 20 overs after recovering from a challenging start. The innings was shaped by a remarkable knock from Lalit Yadav, who struck 82 off 49 deliveries. His innings, filled with confident strokeplay, featured six boundaries and four sixes. Coming in when the team was struggling at 35 for 4, he steadied the innings and then shifted gears to propel Goa to a competitive total.
Lalit found crucial support from Deepraj Gaonkar, who added 28 off 21 balls in a 50-run stand for the fifth wicket. Darshan Misal contributed 18 off 17 balls, helping push the score past the 100 mark before Lalit accelerated in the final overs. Goa added 54 runs in the last 22 deliveries, giving the team strong momentum heading into the break.
Chandigarh’s bowlers had early success, with Sandeep Sharma and Jagjit Singh Sandhu taking two wickets each, while Rahul Singh chipped in with one.
Defending the total, Goa’s bowlers dominated from the outset. V Koushik produced an exceptional spell, claiming 3 for 12, and Arjun Tendulkar matched him with 3 for 17. Their early breakthroughs left Chandigarh reeling at 10 for 4, including the dismissal of key batter Manan Vohra for zero.
Darshan Misal continued the pressure with a controlled spell that yielded 3 for 23, further tightening Goa’s grip. Although Chandigarh’s lower order managed to delay the inevitable, they were eventually bowled out for 121 in 19 overs.
With this strong win, Goa move to third place in the Elite Group B standings with four points from two matches. The team will next face Hyderabad on November 30, aiming to build on their growing momentum.
