7:49 PM IST & Local Time: That’s the end of the contest! Goa produce a commanding performance at the Eden Gardens, thumping Chandigarh by 52 runs.
Earlier in the day, Goa were put in to bat first by Shivam Bhambri, but their innings began on the back foot. Openers Arjun Tendulkar and Ishaan Gadekar couldn’t provide a stable start, with Gadekar falling to Jagjit for 13. The top order crumbled under pressure, losing four wickets inside the powerplay and slipping to a worrying 35/4. Lalit Yadav and Deepraj Gaonkar then steadied the innings, stitching an important 50-run stand for the fifth wicket before Rahul Singh broke the partnership by dismissing Gaonkar for a valuable 28 off 21. Darshan Misal contributed 18 off 17, helping rebuild the innings alongside Lalit Yadav.
Once Lalit Yadav reached his half-century, he shifted gears brilliantly and took full control at the backend. Goa exploded for 58 runs in the final four overs, with Lalit leading the charge and finishing unbeaten on an excellent 82 off 49 balls. His late fireworks lifted Goa to a competitive 173/6 in their 20 overs. For Chandigarh, Sandeep Sharma (2/39) and Jagjit Singh (2/33) were the standout performers with the ball.
In reply, Chandigarh got off to a disastrous start, mirroring Goa’s early collapse as they too lost four wickets inside the powerplay. The new-ball duo of Arjun Tendulkar and Vasuki Koushik made life extremely difficult, extracting movement and striking in each of the first four overs. Chandigarh’s top five batters all fell for single-digit scores, leaving them with a mountain to climb right from the outset.
Small contributions down the order from Chiragvir Dhindsa (19 off 21), Raj Angad Bawa (29 off 23) and Jagjit Singh (20 off 13) offered some resistance, but it was nowhere near enough as none of the Chandigarh batters showed the intent to play a defining knock. Suyash Prabhudessai marshalled his troops superbly, keeping the pressure on throughout. Goa eventually bowled out Chandigarh for 121 in 19 overs. Arjun Tendulkar (3/17), Vasuki Koushik (3/12) and Darshan Misal (3/23) all picked up three wickets each as Goa sealed a thumping 52-run victory.