At the Gymkhana Ground in Hyderabad on Saturday, an unfamiliar Bengal side took the field. In a crucial league match of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Bengal suffered a massive 81-run defeat against Pondicherry due to a catastrophic batting collapse under the leadership of Abhimanyu Easwaran. This loss has made the team’s chances of reaching the knockout stage not just difficult, but nearly impossible.
শামির দুর্দান্ত স্পেল সত্ত্বেও ব্যাটিং বিপর্যয়ে ধাক্কা খেয়ে নকআউট স্বপ্ন ফিকে বাংলার
A Promising Start, Followed by a Collapse
Chasing a target of 178, Bengal started well, reaching 44 runs in just four overs. It seemed as if the team could easily turn the game around. However, the dismissal of Abhishek Porel on the last ball of the fourth over, after scoring 11, triggered a dramatic collapse.
Bengal lost their last 8 wickets for just 26 runs, taking only 6.2 overs. Shockingly, the last six wickets fell for just 16 runs—an almost unthinkable scenario in T20 cricket.
Only Karan Lal stood out, scoring 40 runs off 23 balls, but no other batsman could contribute significantly. Abhimanyu managed just 12 runs off 6 balls, while seven other batsmen were dismissed in single digits. In the end, Bengal were bowled out for 96 in 13.5 overs.
Pondicherry’s Batting Storm Led by Amon Khan
Earlier, Bengal had chosen to field after winning the toss. Despite some early breakthroughs, Pondicherry’s top order, led by Amon Khan (74 off 40 balls) and Yashwant Sriram (45 off 34 balls), put the Bengal bowlers under immense pressure with superb performances.
Mohammed Shami was the standout bowler for Bengal, claiming 3 wickets for 34 runs in 4 overs, including a team-high 13 dot balls. Rittik Chattopadhyay took 2 wickets but conceded 53 runs, while Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep, and Pradeep Pramanik went wicketless. Pondicherry posted a competitive 177/5, but Bengal’s batting meltdown turned the chase into an uphill battle.
Bengal Overwhelmed by Pondicherry’s Bowlers
Bengal’s collapse was compounded by exceptional bowling from Pondicherry. Jayant Yadav picked up 4 wickets, and Sidak Singh claimed 3. From both ends, the bowlers maintained relentless pressure, forcing Bengal batsmen into mistakes—bowled, caught, and poor shots—all contributing to their downfall.
Knockout Hopes in Jeopardy
This heavy defeat has severely impacted Bengal’s net run rate. Even if they manage to beat Haryana in the final league game, progressing to the quarter-finals is now virtually impossible. Despite a strong start in the tournament, the batting collapse at this crucial stage has left team management deeply concerned.