Article by Suvankar Roy
Bengal continues their sublime run in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, securing a commanding 6-wicket win against Chandigarh in their third match of the tournament. After winning the toss, skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran elected to field first—a decision that set the stage for a high-scoring thriller.
Chandigarh’s innings was headlined by a magnificent century from Mannan Vohra, who played a stellar knock of 122 off 127 balls. Supported by Sanyam Saini’s gritty 67, Chandigarh managed to post a formidable total of 319 runs before being bowled out in 48.2 overs.
Bengal’s bowling attack showed great character under pressure. Mukesh Kumar was the pick of the bowlers with a brilliant 5-wicket haul, while the returning Mohammed Shami scalped 3 wickets. All-rounder Shahbaz Ahmed chipped in with 2 crucial breakthroughs.
Chasing a mountain of 320 runs, Bengal got off to an explosive start thanks to Abishek Porel. Despite losing Abhimanyu early with the score at 88 and Sudip Gharami departing for just 17, Porel remained undeterred. He blazed his way to a century in just 73 balls, eventually falling for a magnificent 106.
The chase was then stabilized by the veteran Anustup Majumdar and the reliable Shahbaz Ahmed. While Anustup was dismissed for a well-made 63, Shahbaz once again proved to be Bengal’s primary shield. After his 2-wicket contribution with the ball, he showcased his magic with the bat, remaining unbeaten on 76. A late cameo from Sumanta Gupta, who smashed 22 off just 15 balls, provided the finishing touch.
Bengal chased down the massive 320-run target with 14 balls to spare, marking their second win in three matches. Remarkably, both of Bengal’s victories in the tournament so far have come while chasing targets of over 300!