SHILLONG, Nov 5: A determined final-day fightback helped Meghalaya secure a hard-fought draw against Goa in their U-23 Col CK Nayudu Trophy Elite Group match at the MCA Ground.
Batting the entire day, Meghalaya finished on 194/7, recovering strongly from their first-innings 102 all out. Manish Sharma anchored the innings with a superb 80 not out off 177 balls (15 fours), while tailender Sudhir Sahani survived 28 balls without scoring to help seal the draw. Goa had earlier posted 372 in their only innings.
Resuming on 18/0, Meghalaya lost early wickets, but Sachin Kumar (31 off 103) and Kevin Christopher (32 off 181) dug in for a crucial partnership that consumed nearly 25 overs. Together with Manish, they blunted Goa’s attack and steadily ate up time.
Manish’s composed knock included a 65-run fifth-wicket stand with Kevin and another solid partnership with Shavian Blah (20 off 42). Despite late pressure and wickets, Meghalaya’s lower order held their nerve through the final hour, surviving aggressive spells and fading light.
With three overs lost to bad light, Meghalaya walked away with a morale-boosting draw, frustrating the visitors.
The CK Nayudu Trophy now takes a break until January, with Meghalaya set to switch to one-day cricket for the State A Trophy, beginning against Sikkim on November 9 in Punjab.
