Syed Mushtaq Ali T20: Goa overpower J-K by seven wickets for fourth win

Suyash Prabhudessai (51 not out) powered Goa home.

PANAJI
Goa continued their impressive run in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Elite T20 Trophy, registering a dominant seven-wicket win over Jammu & Kashmir at the iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on Saturday.
The win was powered by another superb batting display from the in-form duo of Kashyap Bakhle and captain Suyash Prabhudesai, who stitched together back-to-back match-winning performances.
Opting to bowl first after winning the toss, Goa put up a disciplined show with the ball. Shubham Tari led from the front, claiming three wickets for 30 in his four overs with the new ball. He received good support from Deeparaj Gaonkar and Vikas, who took a wicket each.
Despite fighting knocks from J&K’s Yawar Hussein (48), skipper Shubham Khajuria (45) and Kewalpreet Singh (30), the opposition could only post a modest 161/7.
Chasing 162, Goa suffered an early setback when opener Deepraj Gaonkar departed in the first over. Abhinav Tejarana showed promise with a few crisp strokes but was unfortunate to be run out.
However, Kashyap Bakhle, flourishing in his role as opener, took control of the chase with a fluent 59 off 44 balls, with eight fours and a six. It is his second consecutive half-century in the tournament.
Skipper Suyash Prabhudesai once again rose to the occasion, showcasing maturity and power hitting in equal measure. His authoritative 51 not out off 38 deliveries, including two fours and two sixes, anchored Goa’s chase to perfection. The pair added a crucial 82-run partnership for the third wicket, effectively sealing the match.
Later, Lalit Yadav’s brisk 24 off just 13 balls ensured Goa crossed the finish line comfortably in 19 overs, finishing at 167/3.
With four wins in six matches and only two losses, Goa now stand strong with 16 points in Group B, boosting their qualification prospects. Their next fixture is against Maharashtra on Monday.
Goa’s all-round consistency, disciplined bowling, and confident batting have made them one of the standout teams of the competition, and the spirited performance at Eden Gardens further underlines the team’s rising stature in domestic T20 cricket.

SCOREBOX
Jammu and Kashmir 161/6 in 20 overs (Shubham Khajuria 45, Yawer Hasan 48, Kawalpreet Singh 30 retd hurt, Abdul Samad 22; Shubham Tari 3/30) lost to Goa 167/3 in 19 overs (Kashyap Bakhale 59, Suyash Prabhudessai 51 not out; Auqib Nabi 1/31) by 7 wickets