Goa emerged victorious in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy Plate final.
CHÜMOUKEDIMA, JANUARY 27 (MExN): Goa emerged victorious in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy Plate Final, clinching a dominant 362-run win over Nagaland at the Nagaland Cricket Stadium in Sovima. The match, which ran from January 23 to 27, showcased Goa’s all-round brilliance, both with the bat and the ball, as they outplayed Nagaland on the final day.
Goa set a commanding target of 578 runs after declaring their second innings at 517/7. Snehal Kauthankar led the charge with an exceptional unbeaten knock of 202, facing 374 balls and hitting nine fours. Kashyap Bakhale also played a pivotal role, scoring 161 runs from 279 balls, which included 16 boundaries. Darshan Misal contributed a solid 67 from 123 balls, further adding to Goa’s strong total.
In response, Nagaland’s first innings ended at 216 all out, with Hem top-scoring for his side with 54 runs from 126 balls, including eight fours. Nischal D also contributed 31 runs from 53 balls. However, Goa’s bowlers were too potent for Nagaland, and they folded again in the second innings for just 215 runs, handing Goa a massive victory.
Darshan Misal was the star with the ball, claiming five wickets in the second innings and dismantling Nagaland’s middle order.
Mohit Redkar also played a key role, taking 4 wickets for just 40 runs in his 22 overs. Suchith J and Nagaho were the pick of Nagaland’s bowlers, with Suchith J taking 2 wickets for 117 runs and Nagaho claiming 2 for 71 runs, but it wasn’t enough to stop Goa from clinching the Plate title.
The victory was a testament to Goa’s teamwork and individual brilliance, with both their batsmen and bowlers stepping up at key moments. Though Nagaland fought hard, especially with resilient knocks from Hem and Nischal D, they were ultimately outclassed by a superior Goa team.
Saurashtra dominates at Col C K Nayudu Trophy U23 match
Meanwhile, in the Col C K Nayudu Trophy U23 match at the Sovima Cricket Ground, Saurashtra continued their dominance against Nagaland. By Day 3, Saurashtra had already set a massive first-innings total of 622/5 declared in 132.5 overs, leaving Nagaland with little hope of mounting a comeback.
In their first innings, Nagaland were bowled out for a mere 79 runs, with Kelhousilie Zaputou scoring the highest of 12 runs.
Saurashtra’s bowlers, led by Maurya Ghoghari, were in superb form, consistently breaking through Nagaland’s defense.
Nagaland did show some resistance in their second innings, with Yugandhar scoring 39 runs from 65 balls and Khrievitso adding 34 from 47 balls. However, the total of 134 all out in their second innings was not enough to prevent Saurashtra from asserting their dominance. Ghoghari’s remarkable performance, taking five wickets in the match, was central to Saurashtra’s control, and they are in a strong position heading into the final day of the match.
With Saurashtra in firm control, Nagaland faces an uphill battle to avoid defeat, though they will look to put up a strong fight on Day 4 to salvage some pride.
