Raipur
Chhattisgarh emerged victorious by a commanding 260 runs in their four-day Cooch Behar Trophy match against Goa, played from November 28 to December 1.
After winning the toss and opting to bat first, Chhattisgarh faced an early setback as their top four batters could only manage 40 runs combined. However, middle-order batter Vaidik Madhurkar steadied the innings with a gritty 74 from 133 balls. Aditya Agrawal also provided crucial support with an unbeaten 36 off 55, helping the team post a total of 221 in their first innings.
Shamik Kamat was the standout bowler for Goa, claiming five wickets to keep his side in the hunt.
In response, Goa struggled to build any partnerships and was dismissed for 142, leaving them trailing by 79 runs. Chhattisgarh’s Dhananjay Nayak put in a match-winning performance with the ball, taking five wickets for just 35 runs in his 14.3-over spell, maintaining an impressive economy rate of 2.41. Aditya Agrawal, who had earlier contributed with the bat, added to his all-round performance by taking three crucial wickets with his off-spin bowling.
Chhattisgarh then declared their second innings at a mammoth 432/6, setting Goa an imposing target of 503 runs. Opener Pratham Jachak blazed to 146 off 141 balls before being dismissed by Samarth. Vikalp Tiwari made 103 off 139, Vivek Yadav added 94 off 92, and Krishna Taunk anchored the innings with a patient 30 from 100 balls.
In their chase, Goa was all out for 242, with Krishna Taunk and Vikalp Tiwari claiming three wickets each. Dhananjay Nayak and Md Faiz Khan supported with two wickets apiece, ensuring Chhattisgarh’s comprehensive victory.
