Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy: MP has one foot in knockouts after thrilling win over Bengal

Madhya Pradesh Captain Rajat Patidar in action during Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match between Madhya Pradesh and Bengal at Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot
| Photo Credit: VIJAY SONEJI

Madhya Pradesh continued its unbeaten run and put one step into the knockout stage after a thrilling win over Bengal in a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Group ‘A’ fixture at the Niranjan Shah Stadium Ground C on Friday, November 29, 2024.

Venkatesh Iyer and Harpreet Singh Bhatia hit 13 runs in the final over to complete the 190-run chase with two balls and six wickets remaining.

Rajat Patidar (68 off 40) and Subhransu Senapati (50 off 33) set up the game for Madhya Pradesh with their 114-run stand for the third wicket. Patidar was given a reprieve early in the innings when he was dropped at deep square leg and took the game away from Bengal.

His effortless stroke-making was the highlight of the innings where he hit six fours and four sixes while Senapati played second fiddle.

Sayan Ghosh brought Bengal back into the game in the 17th over when he cleaned up Senapati and had Patidar caught at long-on three balls later. But Venkatesh and Bhatia held their nerve to take MP home.

Earlier, Bengal batters began aggressively after opting to bat. Openers Abishek Porel and Karan Lal hit 46 runs in four overs before the former was caught trying to play a slog sweep off Kumar Kartikeya. Lal hit six fours and a maximum during his 30-ball 44 before Shivam Shukla trapped him in front.

Shukla later broke a 42-run stand between Shakir Gandhi and Sudip Gharami, removing both batters in the same over.

Shahbaz Ahmed’s quickfire 37 gave the final boost but his dismissal in the 19th over restricted Bengal’s total to 189/9.

Earlier in the day, Hyderabad defeated Bihar by nine wickets to get back to winning ways.

Both Tilak Varma and Rohit Rayudu hit fifties and completed the 119-run chase in the 13th over. Hyderabad didn’t break a sweat despite Tanmay Agarwal’s dismissal in the fourth over.

Hyderabad got the priced wicket of opener Sakibul Hussain inside the PowerPlay and the bowlers controlled the rest of the innings. Ravi Teja got Ayush Loharuka and Sraman Nigrodh before wrapping the lower order to finish with four for 26. Kumar Rajnish top-scored with 22, taking Bihar to a modest total of 118/9.