Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2019-20: Preview – November 15

Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2019-20: Preview – November 15

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November 15 will witness the usual quota of 18 matches in the 2019-20 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

Group A: Andhra vs Goa, Bihar vs Karnataka (both at Visakhapatnam), Baroda vs Services (at Vizianagaram)

Predicted winners: Goa, Karnataka, Baroda

Defending champions Karnataka will return to cricket, against a winless Bihar. Both Karnataka and Services have lost a match fewer than table toppers Baroda but both have a match in hand. Services and Baroda will clash in another match. The third contest will be between Andhra and Goa, two middle-of-the-table sides.

Group B: Kerala vs Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu vs Tripura (both at Thiruvananthapuram), Manipur vs Uttar Pradesh (at Thumba)

Predicted winners: Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh

Table toppers Vidarbha will have a day off. This will allow both Tamil Nadu and Kerala to catch up with them if they bat Rajasthan (fourth in the group) and Tripura (second from bottom). A winless Manipur will aim for their first win, in their last match, against fifth-placed Uttar Pradesh.

Group C (at Chandigarh): Arunachal Pradesh vs Hyderabad, Chhattisgarh vs Punjab, Chandigarh vs Railways, Himachal Pradesh vs Maharashtra

Predicted winners: Hyderabad, Chhattisgarh, Chandigarh, Maharashtra

Chhattisgarh still tops the table, though Punjab, Maharashtra, Chandigarh, and Railways are just one win behind. With Chhattisgarh facing Punjab and Chandigarh taking on Railways, the positions may change entirely on the penultimate day of the league. Maharashtra have a relatively easy opposition in Himachal Pradesh, while Hyderabad will face Arunachal Pradesh in a bottom-of-the-table clash.

Group D (at Mumbai): Bengal vs Madhya Pradesh, Haryana vs Mizoram, Assam vs Puducherry, Mumbai vs Meghalaya

Predicted winners: Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Puducherry, Mumbai

An undefeated Mumbai should have an easy outing against Meghalaya to secure a spot in the next round. Madhya Pradesh and Haryana, second and third in the group, will face fourth-placed Bengal and a winless Mizoram. The Assam vs Puducherry match may not be as significant.

Group E (at Surat): Delhi vs Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir vs Nagaland, Gujarat vs Odisha, Saurashtra vs Sikkim

Predicted winners: Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, Saurashtra

A win against Delhi will help Jharkhand qualify. Gujarat and Odisha, second and third respectively, will clash in a crunch match. Jammu and Kashmir will probably have an easy outing, against Nagaland, as will Saurashtra, against Sikkim.