Goa cruise to 7-wicket win over J&K in SMAT clash

Srinagar, Dec 6: Jammu & Kashmir faltered once again in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy as a lack of aggressive intent cost them in a seven-wicket defeat to Goa at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on Saturday.

Asked to bat first, J&K posted 161/7, an underwhelming total considering their strong start and batting depth. While Shubham Khajuria (45 off 26) and Yawer Hassan (48 off 39) stitched a solid 46-run stand, cricket observers and analysts felt the pair missed the chance to push harder when the platform was perfectly set. Then followed another 59-run stand of 48 balls between Kawal Preet Singh and Yawer Hassan, which further drifted the innings in the middle overs, allowing Goa to regain control and keep the scoring rate in check.

Kawalpreet Singh (30 off 26) retired out after struggling to accelerate, further stalling momentum at a time when J&K needed a strong finish. Abdul Samad provided a brief burst with 22 off just 9 balls, but lack of support and poor strike rotation meant the late surge never fully arrived.

Cricket observers noted that J&K, who had the luxury of batting depth all the way down to No. 9, could have taken bolder decisions, particularly promoting a power-hitter or sending Nasir Lone or Yudhvir Singh earlier to keep Goa under pressure. Instead, the innings slowed after the 14th over, leaving J&K short of a competitive score on a true Eden Gardens surface.

Goa, in contrast, showed the exact template J&K lacked. Kashyap Bakle’s fluent 59 off 44, followed by skipper Suyash Prabhudessai’s unbeaten 51 off 38, ensured a composed yet purposeful chase. Their 82-run partnership broke J&K’s resistance and exposed the lack of wicket-taking intent from the bowlers.

Yudhvir Singh’s expensive 3 overs for 41 added pressure, while J&K bowlers struggled to create breakthroughs after the powerplay. Goa sealed the chase in 19 overs, finishing at 167/3.

Former J&K skipper Samiullah Beigh said the team had enough on the board but failed to back it up with the ball.

“J&K put up a competitive total of 161/7, which on many days is defendable,” Beigh said. “Shubham Khajuria’s 45 off 26 and Yawer Hassan’s 48 off 39 gave the innings momentum, but the bowling was disappointing. Yudhvir and Auqib had an off day, and that virtually gifted the game to Goa.”

But looking ahead, Beigh said he remains optimistic about J&K’s chances.

“J&K now need to win big in their last game to make the knockouts. I am sure that if they plan well, they can still win and qualify,” he added.

With this defeat, J&K’s recurring issues, hesitant middle-overs batting and inconsistent death bowling, have resurfaced at a crucial phase of the tournament. Analysts believe the side needs a clearer, bolder batting plan to maximise its resources. Goa took 4 points from the match, while J&K remained empty-handed. Goa’s Suyash Prabhudessai was named Player of the Match.