Mohammed Shami's Five-Wicket Haul Puts Bengal on Cusp of Victory
In a dominant display of fast bowling, veteran pacer Mohammed Shami claimed a magnificent five-wicket haul to put Bengal firmly on course for an outright victory against Services in their Ranji Trophy Group C encounter at Kalyani. The 35-year-old speedster delivered a masterful spell of 16-3-51-5, tearing through the Services batting lineup and leaving the visitors struggling at 231 for eight in their second innings.
Shami's Devastating Spell Decimates Services
Shami's exceptional performance came after Bengal had enforced the follow-on, with Services still needing 102 more runs to make the hosts bat again. The Indian international provided early breakthroughs by dismissing opener Shubham Rohilla for a duck and No. 3 batsman Ravi Chauhan for just eight runs. He returned later to claim the crucial wicket of Rajat Paliwal, who had scored a resilient 83, before cleaning up Vineet Dhankar (13) and Arjun Sharma (2).
This remarkable fifer followed Shami's two-wicket contribution in the first innings, where he helped bowl Services out for a mere 186 runs. Bengal had posted a commanding total of 519 in their first innings, putting them in complete control of the match from the outset.
Mumbai Dominates Hyderabad in Group D Clash
In another compelling Ranji Trophy encounter, Mumbai moved closer to securing an outright win with a bonus point against Hyderabad in their Group D match. After posting an imposing first innings total of 560, Mumbai bowled Hyderabad out for 267, with Himanshu Singh leading the attack with impressive figures of 3/39. Tushar Deshpande (2/68) and Mohit Awasthi (2/54) provided valuable support.
Following the enforcement of the follow-on, Mumbai continued their dominance, reducing Hyderabad to 166/7 in their second innings. Mohit Awasthi was particularly effective, claiming 3/31 to put Mumbai in a commanding position, with Hyderabad still trailing by 127 runs.
Other Ranji Trophy Matches See Competitive Action
Across other groups, several matches witnessed intense competition:
Group A Highlights
- Tamil Nadu strengthened their position against Odisha in Bhubaneswar, setting a massive target of 455 runs. Odisha struggled at 47/2, needing 408 more runs for victory.
- Jharkhand dominated Uttar Pradesh in Lucknow, reducing the hosts to 69/7 in their second innings after declaring at 561/6. Uttar Pradesh trails by 316 runs.
- Andhra made steady progress against Vidarbha in Vizianagaram, reaching 93/1 while chasing 259 runs for victory.
Group B and C Updates
- In Mangalapuram, Chandigarh secured a comprehensive innings and 92-run victory over Kerala.
- Madhya Pradesh maintained control against Karnataka in Alur, reaching 204/6 in their second innings after taking a substantial first innings lead.
- Tripura built a 212-run lead against Uttarakhand in Agartala, while Assam held a 147-run advantage over Haryana in Guwahati.
- Gujarat managed a 98-run lead against Railways in Nadiad despite trailing in the first innings.
Group D Developments
In Jaipur, Himachal Pradesh extended their lead to 102 runs against Rajasthan after bowling them out for 342. Meanwhile, in Bengaluru, Delhi faced an uphill battle against Chhattisgarh, trailing by 131 runs in their second innings after conceding a massive first innings deficit.
The third day of Ranji Trophy action has set up several intriguing final day scenarios, with multiple teams positioned for outright victories. Mohammed Shami's exceptional performance for Bengal stands out as a highlight, demonstrating his continued prowess in domestic cricket and providing a timely reminder of his capabilities ahead of international assignments.
