Shillong: Meghalaya lost their second match of the Vijay Hazare Trophy by four wickets to Puducherry with the latter’s lower middle order providing the required runs after Abhay Negi removed four of their main batsmen.
The Meghalaya team did not have much time to rest, given that they had played their opening game on Tuesday against Sikkim, a match which they won. Puducherry won the toss and elected to field first in Dehra Dun. The match was reduced to 28 overs a side.Meghalaya did not have it easy with the bat, with 21 from professional player Ravi Teja being their highest score. The 32 runs put on by Teja and fellow professional Sanjay Yadav (20) for the fifth wicket was the highest of the innings. Puducherry started the chase of their small target well, putting on 30 for the first wicket before Abhay Negi tore through the line-up, taking 4/17 from a maximum of six overs.
However, S Suresh Kumar (37 not out) and Vinay Kumar (20 not out) saw Puducherry over the line in 23.5 overs. Akash Kumar (1/34) and Swarajeet Das (1/19) were Meghalaya’s other wicket-takers.
Meghalaya will next take on Chandigarh on September 28.
