Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Goa suffered a narrow 14 run defeat against Pondicherry in their opening match of the Vinoo Mankad Trophy Elite Under-19 tournament at the Sector 16 Cricket Stadium in Chandigarh.
After winning the toss and electing to bowl, Goa bowled out Pondicherry for 214 in 48.4 overs. However, Goa’s batting lineup was dismissed for 200 in 47.4 overs while chasing a target of 215.
Goa endured a difficult start to their chase, losing three wickets for just 29 runs. Captain Aaradhya Goyal led the recovery with a fighting 41, building partnerships to keep his team in contention. Afrid contributed 20 runs, while Mihir Kudalkar added 24 and Mohammed Uzair scored 22 to provide valuable support.
Mohit Yadav kept Goa’s hopes alive with an unbeaten 47 off just 40 deliveries. Despite his late resistance, Goa could not bridge the gap as Pondicherry’s bowlers maintained their pressure in the closing stages. Srijan Sinhasan and Badal Rawat were the standout performers with three wickets each. S. Sri Ganesan and Aahil Kachru picked up two wickets apiece.
Earlier, Goa’s bowlers made an impressive start, reducing Pondicherry to 10 for three. Aahil Kachru, who scored 53, and Haris Maraicar, who made 47, then combined for a crucial 91 run partnership to rebuild the innings. Dharmendar Kasana added 33, helping Pondicherry reach a competitive total.
Aaditya Kota led Goa’s bowling effort with three wickets for 34 runs. Chigurupati Venkata and Shamik Kamat claimed two wickets each, while Afrid also finished with two wickets.
Goa showed resilience with both bat and ball but were unable to convert their efforts into a winning start. The team will look to recover from the narrow defeat and strengthen its campaign in the tournament’s upcoming matches.
Brief Scorecard
Pondicherry: 214 all out in 48.4 overs
Aahil Kachru 53, Haris Maraicar 47, Dharmendar Kasana 33, Srijan Sinhasan 22; Aaditya Kota 3/34, Chigurupati Venkata 2/32, Shamik Kamat 2/33, Afrid 2/49.
Goa: 200 all out in 47.4 overs
Mohit Yadav 47 not out, Aaradhya Goyal 41, Mihir Kudalkar 24, Mohammed Uzair 22, Afrid 20; Srijan Sinhasan 3/26, Badal Rawat 3/29, S. Sri Ganesan 2/26, Aahil Kachru 2/38.
Result: Pondicherry won by 14 runs.
