normalnormalnormalChandigarh, Himachal Pradesh booked their place in the final of the Journalist Premier League 2026 with an 11-run win over Punjab in the semifinal. The highlight of the match was a magnificent unbeaten 110 by Gaurav Marwah which was also the first century of the league. However his effort could not take Punjab over the line. Himachal will now face the winner of the UP vs Rajasthan clash in the final on May 3.Chasing a challenging target of 214, Punjab got off to a solid start with Gaurav holding one end firmly. He scored 110 off 71 balls, hitting 19 fours and remained unbeaten till the end.He was well supported by Raj Thakur, who played a brisk knock of 65 off 33 balls. The duo stitched together a strong partnership to keep Punjab in the hunt. However, lack of support from the middle order hurt the chase. Tapin was dismissed for a duck while Rajender Chauhan and skipper Samar failed to convert their starts. Punjab eventually finished at 203/4 in 20 overs, falling short by 11 runs.Earlier, Himachal opted to bat first after winning the toss and posted a strong total of 214/4 in 20 overs. Narveer Thakur led the charge with an impressive 83 off 48 balls, including 15 boundaries. Rimpu added quick runs with a 48 off 20 balls, while Rakesh Saklani contributed 32. With the ball, Rimpu was effective as well, picking up 2 wickets for 30 runs in his 4 overs.The league is organized by the Journalist Welfare Trust and United Press Club which is aimed to pay tribute to journalists who lost their lives in the line of duty and to support their families. It also promotes unity and camaraderie within the media fraternity. Teams from Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Chandigarh are participating in the tournament.Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur attended the match as the chief guest. He appreciated the initiative, stating that such events not only promote sportsmanship but also recognize the valuable contribution of journalists to society.The league is sponsored by Avon Cycles as the title sponsor, with Duke and Easy Visa as co-sponsors. Associate partners include Amy Sol, Ansal Wealth, Vaidban, CGC University Mohali, CREDAI Punjab, Dr. Yogi’s, and IOL Dashmesh, all playing a key role in the successful conduct of the tournament.normalnormalThe post Former CM Jai Ram lauds efforts of Journalist Welfare Trust &United PressClub appeared first on Chandigarh City News.