Kolkata: Uttar Pradesh continued their strong start to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025, registering a commanding 109-run victory over Jammu and Kashmir in their Group B clash on Friday. The win — their second in a row — propelled UP to the top of the Group B standings with eight points.
In red-hot form following his unbeaten 93 against Goa, Aryan Juyal once again showcased his class with a fluent 40-ball 51, striking three sixes and four fours to set the tone for UP’s imposing 193/6. J&K opted to bowl first, but Juyal and skipper Karan Sharma (32 off 24) laid a solid foundation with a free-flowing 73-run opening stand.
J&K looked to pace ace Umran Malik for a breakthrough, and while he troubled the batters with sheer speed — even getting Juyal caught behind once — a costly no-ball for overstepping denied him the wicket. He eventually dismissed Karan and later removed Juyal right after the UP opener reached his fifty, sparking a mini-collapse as UP slid to 97/4.
However, the momentum swung once more courtesy of Prashant Veer, who produced one of the standout all-round performances of the tournament so far. After rebuilding the innings with Siddharth Yadav (24 off 18) in a crucial fifty-run stand, Veer unleashed a devastating late assault.
His blistering 37 off just 10 balls*, featuring four sixes and three fours, included 24 runs in the final over against pacer Auqib Nabi, taking UP to a match-winning total. Veer then returned with the ball to claim 3/20, tightening UP’s hold on the contest.
J&K Batting Falters Under UP’s Spin Pressure
Chasing 194, Jammu and Kashmir never gained any momentum. With captain Shubham Khajuria absent hurt, the side folded for a disappointing 84 all out. Opener Qamran Iqbal top-scored with 20, but UP’s spinners dominated the innings.
Leg-spinner Vipraj Nigam picked up 3/25, while Veer compounded J&K’s troubles with another match-defining spell. Fast bowler Sunil Kumar (2/11) and veteran seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/14) kept things tight early on.
There were a few late fireworks from Umran Malik, who struck a six and a four, but his cameo ended via a spectacular diving catch by Rinku Singh near the boundary rope.
With a massive win and two strong performances back-to-back, Uttar Pradesh appear to be emerging as one of the early title contenders in the tournament.
