Meghalaya edge closer to Cooch Behar plate final after commanding victory over Nagaland

Meghalaya strengthened their push for a Cooch Behar Trophy plate final berth on December 11 after completing a 109-run victory over previously unbeaten Nagaland at the MCA Ground.

Nagaland, chasing 375, resumed the fourth morning on 208 for six but lasted only about 90 minutes before being dismissed for 265. Meghalaya captain Angkit Tamang wrapped up the innings with figures of 5 for 45, securing his side’s second successive outright win. Mewankitbok Kharpuri claimed the other wicket of the morning to finish with 2 for 71.

The match had tilted firmly Meghalaya’s way earlier in the contest. Their first-innings 312, built around Gaurav Narleng’s 127, was backed by disciplined bowling that restricted Nagaland to 165, with Sameer Choudhury taking 6 for 40. Meghalaya added 227 in their second outing to set a steep target.

Meghalaya Cricket Association President Nababrata Bhattacharjee praised what he termed a “sterling team performance,” highlighting the contributions of Angkit, Choudhury, Narleng and Kharpuri, who now sits third on the plate group wicket chart with 24 scalps. He described the win as a sign of “commitment and high application” within the state’s youth structure.

The result has intensified the three-way contest for a place in the plate final. Nagaland, who arrived in Shillong with three wins from three, remain second on 19 points, one ahead of Meghalaya. Manipur lead the group with 24 after four straight victories. Meghalaya’s only defeat so far came against Manipur last month.

Meghalaya face Mizoram from December 16 in Anand, Gujarat, in their final round-robin fixture. Mizoram, winless in their completed matches, appear the group’s weakest side, but Meghalaya must avoid complacency while also monitoring the outcome of Nagaland’s clash with unbeaten Manipur. The concluding round is set to decide a tightly contested race.