Jammu & Kashmir edged closer to a knockout berth in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Elite Group B after a commanding 29-run victory over Chandigarh at the Jadavpur University Campus Ground in Kolkata. The win marked J&K’s third triumph in four matches, solidifying their strong position in the group standings.
Put in to bat, J&K produced a dominant batting display, posting 192 all out in 20 overs. Yawer Hassan starred with a scintillating 57 off 36 balls, studded with four boundaries and four sixes. Senior opener Shubham Khajuria set the tone early with a brisk 43 off 30 deliveries, hammering three fours and three sixes.
Useful contributions from Abdul Samad (23) and Kanhaiya Wadhawan (21) kept the run rate soaring throughout the innings. Chandigarh’s bowling effort was led by Nikhil Sharma, Bhagmender Lather, and Jagjit Singh Sandhu, all of whom claimed two wickets each.
Chasing a steep target of 193, Chandigarh managed 163/7 in 20 overs. Despite an impressive start from the top order, the rising required run rate proved too much. Gaurav Puri top-scored with a fiery 39 off 23 balls, hitting four towering sixes. Arjun Azad (38) and Manan Vohra (32) offered solid support, but J&K’s disciplined bowling sealed the contest.
For J&K, Yudhvir Singh picked up two wickets, while Aquib Nabi, Murugan Ashwin, and Lone Nasir Muzzaffar struck once each to ensure a comfortable victory.
The Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) congratulated the team and extended special appreciation to Administrators Brig Anil Gupta and Vidhya Bhaskar, CAC Members Abdul Qayoom, Vijay Sharma, Meenu Singh Slathia, and Selectors Sarabjeet Singh, Dhruv Mahajan, and Arshid Bhat for their role in shaping the team’s impressive campaign.
With momentum firmly in their favour, J&K now appear well poised for a strong push into the knockout stages.
