Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2015-16: Harbhajan Singh grabs 3 as Punjab trounce Jammu and Kashmir by 8 wickets

Kochi: Skipper Harbhajan Singh bowled a deadly spell to record figures of 3/8 in 4 overs as Punjab thrashed Jammu and Kashmir by 8 wickets in a one-sided group B of Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament on Sunday. Batting first, Jammu and Kashmir were all out for a paltry 105 in 19.3 overs with Bandeep Singh being the top-scorer with contribution of 40. In reply, Punjab scored the runs in 14.3 overs with Mandeep Singh scoring unbeaten 58 off 45 balls. Opener Pargat Singh scored 44 and added 97 for second wicket with Mandeep.

Leading from the front, Harbhajan brought himself as the second change, got the two most important players in the rival team in skipper Mithun Manhas (6) and Parveez Rasool (2). Especially, he got Rasool with a flighted delivery as he was beaten and Gitansh Khera effected a stumping. He also removed Zahoor Sofi (1) as J&K’s middle-order crumbled as they werre reduced to 79/6 from a relatively safer 69/3.

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The win was also Punjab’s first in the tournament having lost the opening encounter to Rajasthan yesterday. The other India player in the team Yuvraj Singh did not get much chance as his solitary over cost him 9 runs and he did not get a chance to bat.

Brief scores:

Jammu and Kashmir 105 in 19.3 overs (Bandeep Singh 40, Ian Dev Singh 39, Harbhajan Singh 3 for 8) lost to Punjab 108 for 2 in 14.3 overs (Mandeep singh 58*, Pargat Singh 44) by 8 wickets.