All attention was on Indian cricket star Shubman Gill, but his outing was disappointingly short-lived as Punjab secured a convincing six-wicket win over Goa in a Vijay Hazare Trophy group stage match in Jaipur. The match, reduced to 40 overs per side due to morning fog, saw Punjab's middle-order rise to the occasion after early stumbles.
Gill's Early Exit and Punjab's Rocky Start
Batting as an opener for Punjab, captain Shubman Gill managed only 11 runs from 12 deliveries. After being given a couple of early reprieves, he was finally dismissed by seamer Vasuki Koushik, edging a catch to second slip. Punjab's innings soon found itself in deeper trouble at 59 for 3 after the quick wickets of captain Prabhsimran Singh and another batter, putting the chase of 213 in a precarious position.
The Match-Winning Rescue Act
The game was decisively turned by a magnificent fourth-wicket partnership between young Harnoor Singh and Naman Dhir. The duo added a crucial 131 runs to steady the ship and put Punjab on course for victory. Harnoor Singh played a magnificent anchoring role, finishing unbeaten on 94 runs from 90 balls, agonizingly close to his second List A century of the season. Naman Dhir provided excellent support with a brisk 68 off 65 deliveries.
Punjab's Bowling Sets Up the Win
Earlier, the foundation for the win was laid by the Punjab pace attack, which made early breakthroughs to restrict Goa. Goa were bowled out for 212 in their allotted overs, a total that ultimately proved insufficient despite the early wicket of Gill. The comfortable nature of the chase, completed with six wickets in hand, highlighted the strength of Punjab's batting depth in this Group 'C' fixture.
The victory underscores that while star players attract headlines, consistent performances from the team's core are often the real key to success in domestic tournaments like the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
