Vijay Hazare TrophyManipur go down by 33 runs to Meghalaya in rain-hit match

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Dec 3 : Manipur suffered a 33-run loss to Meghalaya via VJD method in a rain-hit Vijay Hazare Trophy Group B fixture at KL Saini Stadium in Jaipur today.  It was sixth straight loss for Manipur.
Put in to bat first, Manipur amassed a respectable total of 248 runs for 9 thanks to a half century from John and significant contributions from Priyojit, Rex and Langlonyamba. But the target was revised to 138 runs via VJD method as rain interrupted Meghalaya innings at 171/3 after 34 overs and eventually Meghalaya earned the 33 run victory.
Manipur had a fighting start to the innings before losing P Prafullomani (35 off 27 balls; 5 fours and 2 sixes) and Al Bashid (8 off 33 balls) in 11.4 overs as the scoreboard read 41.
Johnson then shared the highest 63-run partnership of the innings with  Priyojit K (60-ball 43, 3 fours and 1 six) for the third wicket and a 45-run partnership with Langlonyamba (32-ball 46) for the fourth wicket on the way to his 71-ball 58 (5 fours and 1 six). Rex too shone with his bat today and found the fence 5 times (4 fours and 1 six) to add 46 to Manipur's tally off 32 deliveries. Thokchom Kishan was also unbeaten on 15 (off 9 balls) as the innings ended at 248 for 9.
RB Bishnoi Jr was the pick of Meghalaya bowlers finishing with the best figures of 3/49 in 10 overs while Md Nafees (2/52 in 10 overs) and Swarajeet Das (2/38 in 8 overs) claimed two wickets apiece.
In reply, Meghalaya were reduced to 115 for 3 in 27.1 overs as Kishan Singha dismissed RR Biswa for 24 runs and Nakul Verma for 49 runs before Th Kishan got rid of Swarajeet Das for 27 runs.
With Jaskirat (23) and Tanmay Mishra (37) stitching together an unbeaten 41-ball 56 run partnership for Meghalaya to make it 171 for 3 in 34 at a runrate of 5.03 run per over before rain interrupted the play and turned things around.
Manipur will play Maharashtra on December 5 in their penultimate Group B match at Dr Soni Stadium, Jaipur.