Shami Strikes Back After Maharashtra Dismiss Bengal for 143 at Eden Gardens

Mohammed Shami struck twice after Bengal was dismissed for 143 on a truncated opening day, leaving Maharashtra at 193 for 9 in 71 overs in Match 70 of the Ranji Trophy Elite 2026/27 season at Eden Gardens.

The ongoing Group C fixture between Bengal and Maharashtra carries significant weight for quarterfinal qualification. Bengal began the match as leaders of Group C with 18 points following three straight outright victories, while Maharashtra arrived in Kolkata with 12 points, aiming to bridge the six-point gap in their four-day match scheduled from November 2 to 5, 2026.

Eden Gardens collapse leaves Bengal at 143

Bengal’s batters struggled on a truncated opening day after being put in to bat by Maharashtra. The home side collapsed to 143 all out as Maharashtra’s seam attack dominated the early sessions at Eden Gardens.

Abishek Porel provided the solitary resistance in Bengal’s first innings, scoring a counter-attacking 54 off 67 balls to push the hosts past three figures. Maharashtra pacers Pradeep Dadhe and Tanay Sanghvi broke through Bengal’s batting lineup, taking three wickets each to restrict the hosts to a low total before the innings folded.

Shami and Kaif strike in tandem

In response, Bengal’s pace attack led by Mohammed Shami fought back strongly. Shami struck early by dismissing Maharashtra opener Prithvi Shaw. On the very next ball, Shami pinned Digvijay Patil on his back leg, hurrying the batter with raw pace to put Maharashtra under immediate pressure.

Working alongside his brother Kaif, Shami helped Bengal pick up wickets at regular intervals during Maharashtra’s response. Shami ended with two wickets to anchor the local pace attack. Despite his form for his state, Shami remains unselected in India’s squad for the upcoming One Day International series against New Zealand.

Sanghvi and Dadhe build lead to 193 for 9

Maharashtra managed to recover from their middle-order hiccups to reach 193 for 9 in 71 overs, securing a 50-run first-innings lead. The visitor’s fightback was led by Tanay Sanghvi, who complemented his three-wicket bowling effort with a patient knock of 49 runs off 141 balls.

Sanghvi was supported by Pradeep Dadhe, who added 17 off 37 balls to frustrate the Bengal attack. Their lower-order partnership ensured Maharashtra edged ahead in the match despite the early damage inflicted by the Shami brothers.

Group C standings and other domestic scores

Bengal entered Match 60 of the Ranji Trophy Elite 2026/27 calendar eyeing a fourth consecutive victory to cement their top spot in Group C. The match at Eden Gardens marks Bengal’s first home fixture of the red-ball season.

The state rivalry has extended beyond men’s multi-day cricket in recent domestic schedules. In Match 73 of the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy at the C K Pithawala Ground in Bhimpore, Surat, Maharashtra Women delivered a strong performance to earn a victory over Bengal Women.

Across other Ranji Trophy Elite fixtures, Tamil Nadu dominated their match against Odisha courtesy of a double-century from Pradosh Ranjan Paul. In Group A action, Baroda took on Uttar Pradesh in a match hosted at Kanpur.

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Vivek Raj

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