Vintage Shami Shines as Bengal Triumphs in Ranji Trophy Clash

In a display reminiscent of his prime, senior Indian pacer Mohammed Shami spearheaded Bengal's triumph over Gujarat, achieving a resounding 141-run victory in the Ranji Trophy Group C match at Eden Gardens. Shami's impressive spell, capturing 5/38, was pivotal as Gujarat faltered, failing to chase a 327-run target, collapsing at 185 despite Urvil Patel's valiant 109*.

Shami's form was evident early on, with figures of 3/44 in the first innings, complemented by Shahbaz Ahmed's remarkable 6/34, securing a vital 112-run lead. This five-for was Shami's first in first-class cricket since his exploits against South Africa in 2021, where he claimed 5/44.

After shining in the 2023 ODI World Cup, Shami faced nearly a year out due to injury but returned strongly in the white-ball series against England and starred in India's Champions Trophy win. Since then, he's taken 11 ODI wickets, including a five-wicket haul against Bangladesh, and appeared in two T20Is against England. Despite not playing in the current series against Australia, Shami's domestic performances speak volumes, making him a joint-third leading wicket-taker this Ranji season with 15 wickets at an average of 10.46.

Elsewhere in the Ranji Trophy, Maharashtra defeated Chandigarh by 144 runs in Group B, and Haryana achieved a nine-wicket victory over Tripura in Rohtak. Jammu & Kashmir stunned Rajasthan in Group D with an innings and 41-run win, while Mizoram outperformed Arunachal Pradesh by an innings and 58 runs in the Plate Group.