Team Goemkarponn
Panaji: Goa continued their impressive run in the Vijay Hazare Elite Cricket Tournament with a commanding 62 run victory over Sikkim on Monday, registering their third consecutive win in the competition. The triumph was built around a superb unbeaten century by Lalit Yadav, whose innings anchored Goa to a formidable total at the KL Saini Stadium in Jaipur.
Batting first in the 50 over contest, Goa recovered from an uncertain start to post a strong 309 for 8. The top order struggled to gain momentum, but Lalit Yadav held firm and produced a match defining knock of 131 not out. Displaying composure and controlled aggression, he struck 14 boundaries in his 111 ball innings and guided the innings through the middle and death overs.
Yadav found valuable support from Suyash Prabhudesai, who contributed a fluent 55. The pair added a crucial 92 run partnership for the fourth wicket, stabilising the innings and setting the platform for a late surge. Useful cameos from Darshan Misal, Deepraj Gaonkar, Arjun Tendulkar, and Rajshekhar Harikant helped Goa push the total beyond the 300 run mark.
In reply, Sikkim fought back with determined batting performances but fell short of the required rate. Gurinder Singh remained unbeaten on 52, while Sai Satwik and A B Rajera scored half centuries to keep Sikkim in the hunt. Despite the resistance, Goa’s bowlers struck at regular intervals to prevent any sustained chase.
Koushik V emerged as the standout bowler for Goa, picking up three wickets and applying consistent pressure. Darshan Misal and Lalit Yadav chipped in with a wicket each, while Arjun Tendulkar maintained tight lines and bowled economically to restrict the scoring.
Sikkim eventually finished on 247 for 7, handing Goa a comfortable win. With this result, Goa moved up to second place in Group C with 12 points, strengthening their position in the tournament.
Goa will face a stiff test in their next outing when they take on a strong Mumbai side on December 31, a match that could prove decisive in shaping the group standings.
