Bengal have qualified for the Ranji Trophy knockouts this season after a comprehensive victory over Services on Sunday (January 25).
The four-day encounter
ended in the early hours of the final day as Bengal completed a victory by an innings and 46 runs at the Kalyani Stadium.
Bengal thump Services; Sudip Chatterjee, Mohammed Shami play Key Part
Bengal scored a mountain of runs batting first. Sudip Chatterjee was star of the show as he scored 209 runs with the bat. Abhimanyu Easwaran also scored 81 runs while Shakir Habib Gandhi made an unbeaten 91 as they piled 519 runs in the first innings.
In reply, Services were bundled out for just 186 in the first innings. They fared better with 287 in the second as Mohammed Shami knocked them over with a five-wicket haul. The Indian pacer ended up with 7 wickets in the match and continues his hot spree in the domestic tournament this season, with 34 wickets in six matches. Bengal registerd an innings win, thus securing their 2nd bonus point in the campaign.
Bengal qualify for Ranji Knockouts
With the victory, Bengal have qualified for the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 knockouts. The team has looked a class apart this season and so far has registered 30 points in six matches, thus sitting on top of the Group C points table. Bengal will take on 2nd placed Haryana in the final match of the season, and if they avoid a defeat in the match, they would finish at the top of the group.
Bengal Group Stage Results
vs Uttarakhand - Won by 8 wkts
vs Gujarat - Won by 141 runs
vs Tripura - Drawn; Conceded First Innings Lead
vs Railways - Won by an Innings and 120 runs
vs Assam - Drawn; Took First Innings Lead
vs Services - Won by an Innings and 46 runs
