Iqbal Abdulla started his Ranji Trophy season in style by slamming a century for Sikkim at Porvorim against Goa on the final day of the Plate Group fixture.

Put in to bat first, Sikkim crumbled to 136 in the first innings and the home side capitalised to take a 300-run lead after declaring at 436/6.

Coming out to the crease in the second innings at 132/7, Iqbal Abdulla offered some steely resistance to the visitors. He first forged a 151-run stand with Yashpal Singh in just 192 balls for the eighth wicket and then put up a 76-run partnership with Sikkim captain Plazor Tamang for the ninth.

Before the exit of Plazor Tamang, Sikkim had scored 227 runs for the fall of one wicket, offering some hope to the visitors.

Sikkim eventually folded for 374 when Iqbal Abdulla, an ARCS Andheri star in T20 Mumbai, got snapped by Amit Verma. He scored 135 in just 158 balls at a strike rate of 85.44, helped by 10 fours and 6 sixes.

Goa chased a target of 75 in 18.2 overs and won the match by nine wickets, the sole scalp bagged by Iqbal Abdulla’s left-arm spin in the fourth over.