SMAT 2025-26, Group B: Pragnay half-century leads Hyderabad to victory over Goa, Patidar among the runs on MP return
Hyderabad rode on Pragnay Reddy’s unbeaten 34-ball 67 to trounce Goa by seven wickets in a Group-B match of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy at the Eden Gardens here on Sunday.
Asked to bat first, Goa benefitted from Lalit Yadav’s second successive half-century to post 160 for four. Hyderabad achieved the target with six overs to spare and secured its second win.
Goa managed 32 for two in the PowerPlay and lost another wicket in the seventh over due to the discipline shown by the Hyderabad bowlers, led by its skipper C.V. Milind and left-arm spinner Tanay Thyagarajan.
Lalit shouldered the responsibility to add 34 runs with Deepraj Gaonkar before cracking a 51-ball 93-run unbroken stand with Darshan Misal (18).
The former Delhi batter, who recorded his career-best knock (85 n.o., 48b, 10×4, 3×6), unleashed his brutal firepower in the death overs. Equally effective with his drives, pulls and inside-out shots, Lalit hammered four fours and two sixes as Ajay Dev Goud conceded 30 runs, including two wides, in the last over. Hyderabad leaked 62 in the last four overs.
With a docile attack, Goa struggled to defend its total.
Hyderabad opener Tanmay Agarwal plundered three sixes off V. Koushik’s first over before Aman Rao (40, 22b, 3×4, 3×6) and Pragnay (67 n.o., 34b, 4×4 5×6) took charge with a 31-ball 71-run partnership.
Aman also displayed his attacking intent, collecting most of his runs on the onside.
The lucky Pragnay, who was caught off a no-ball on zero and then was dropped on nine, continued to play fearlessly as he drove well on the off-side for majority of his sixes apart from cutting and pulling fine to get his boundaries. He finished off in style, hitting a straight six off spinner Darshan.
Top-scorer Harsh Gawali (49, 42b, 5×4) and captain Rajat Patidar (43, 20b, 5×4, 2×6), making a comeback, helped Madhya Pradesh defeat Uttar Pradesh by 37 runs and record its second consecutive win.
Manan Vohra’s unbeaten half-century (72 n.o., 48b, 9×4, 2×6) enabled Chandigarh to beat Maharashtra by five wickets and register its second victory.
The scores
At Eden Gardens:
Goa 160/4 in 20 overs (Lalit Yadav 85 n.o.) lost to Hyderabad 166/3 in 14 overs (Aman Rao 40, Pragnay Reddy 67 n.o.).
At Jadavpur University ground:
Maharashtra 139/7 in 20 overs (Arshin Kulkarni 47) lost to Chandigarh 142/5 in 19.4 overs (Manan Vohra 72 n.o., Nikhil Thakur 36).
Madhya Pradesh 184/7 in 20 overs (Ankush Singh 31, Harsh Gawali 49, Rajat Patidar 43, Harpreet Singh Bhatia 33) bt Uttar Pradesh 147 in 18.4 overs (Rinku Singh 65, Shivam Shukla 3/36, Rahul Batham 3/33).
Published on Nov 30, 2025
