SHILLONG: 4 April 2023 (PTI Source)
In a tough Group A encounter of the inaugural North East InterState Friendship Tournament, Meghalaya faced a six-wicket defeat at the hands of Manipur in Nagaland. After a subpar performance with the bat, where they could only manage 178 runs in almost 49 overs, Meghalaya found it difficult to defend their total against a dominant Manipur side. Led by a superb all-round display, Manipur chased down the target with ease, scoring 182 runs in just over 38 overs.
In the 1st North East InterState Friendship Tournament, Manipur clinched a six-wicket victory against Meghalaya in a Group A encounter, held in Nagaland. Although both teams had already secured a spot in the semifinals, Manipur progressed as the top team from the group, with Meghalaya finishing as the runners-up.
After winning the toss, Meghalaya made a promising start after winning the toss, with Kishan Lyngdoh and Raj Biswa putting on a 47-run opening partnership. However, after Lyngdoh was caught for 37, Arien Bonchang Sangma took the responsibility and scored a fine half-century. Sangma's knock was unfortunately cut short as he was bowled for 55 after taking the team's score to 127/4. The rest of the batters failed to build a substantial partnership, and Meghalaya was dismissed for a below-par score of 178.
Manipur faced an early setback in their innings as Akash K. Choudhary dismissed a batsman in only his second over, causing Manipur to be at 22/1. However, Manipur recovered quickly and reached the 100-run mark in less than 19 overs without losing any more wickets. Although Meghalaya managed to pick up a couple of wickets, Langlonyamba's brilliant 50 helped Manipur to register an easy win, with the team scoring 182/4 in just over 38 overs.
Although Meghalaya had a chance to make a comeback when a few wickets fell, Manipur's resilience and grit helped them secure the victory. Overall, it was a well-fought contest between the two teams in a tournament that promises to showcase the talent of Northeast India