Assam defeats Punjab in Vijay Merchant Trophy
Assam produced a spirited all-round performance to register a memorable 3-wicket victory over Punjab in the quarter-final of the Vijay Merchant Trophy at the GSFC Cricket Ground, Vadodara, and book their place in the semi-final.
Assam won the toss and elected to field first. Punjab, batting in their first innings, were bowled out for 275 in 90.1 overs. Jaivin (82) and Varun (70) led the scoring for Punjab, while Aman Yadav starred with the ball for Assam, claiming an impressive 5 for 80. He was well supported by Reyan Nandey (2/40), Nitrik Raj Gogoi (2/48) and Swarnav Srihit Guru Das (1/0).
In reply, Assam were bowled out for 170 in 58.5 overs despite a fighting knock of 96 from Swarnav Srihit Guru Das. Sameer Mahato contributed 31 runs, while Punjab’s bowlers were led by Shivam Matri (4/38) and Sahibjotveer Singh (3/17).
Punjab took a lead by scoring 287 in their second innings, being bowled out in 94.4 overs. Paras Dhamija (54), Jaivin (52) and Updeshwar Singh Buttar (51) were the main contributors. Nitrik Raj Gogoi delivered a match-turning spell, returning remarkable figures of 6 for 52, with Reyan Nandey (2/30) and Digbijoy N Chetry (1/57) providing valuable support for Assam.
Chasing a challenging target, Assam displayed great resilience and composure in the second innings, posting 396 for 7 in 111 overs to seal the victory. Aman Yadav played a match-winning knock of 89 off 134 balls and was declared Player of the Match for his outstanding all-round performance. He was well supported by Sameer Mahato (48), Sujad Islam (47), Swarnav Srihit Guru Das (46) and Reyan Nandey (38).
The Assam Cricket Association extends its heartiest congratulations to Team Assam on qualifying for the semi-final. The team will next face Maharashtra in the semi-final, scheduled to commence on 18th January at Rajkot.
