Ranji Trophy: Shami picked the final wicket as Bengal pipped MP by 11 runs. (PTI)
Mohammed Shami was not at his best with the ball in the second-innings but the India pacer still powered Bengal to a thrilling 11-run win over Madhya Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy clash at the Holkar Stadium in Indore on Saturday.
After providing glimpses of his best with the ball in the first-innings, picking up four wickets to help Bengal seal a first-innings lead of 61 runs, Shami was the hero at the death, picking up the final wicket to mark the win for his side.
Bengal set a 287-run target for hosts MP to chase on Day 3 last evening. Madhya Pradesh got off to a quick start before Shami trapped night-watchman Anubhav Agarwal on 2 before stumps.
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Excellent comeback 💥@MdShami11 bowled an impressive spell of 4/54 on his comeback, playing for Bengal against Madhya Pradesh in the #RanjiTrophy match in Indore 👌👌
Watch 📽️ highlights of his spell in the first innings 🔽@IDFCFIRSTBank
Scorecard: https://t.co/54IeDz9fWu pic.twitter.com/sxKktrQJbL
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) November 14, 2024
The Madhya Pradesh batters responded firmly on the last morning, with brisk fifties from captain Shubham Sharma and Venkatesh Iyer leading the chase. Shami castled the in-form Rajat Patidar on 32 but was frequented to the boundary as he leaked runs in excess of four runs per over.
The match headed down to the wire after a 62-run partnership for the eighth wicket between Saransh Jain and Aryan Pandey, before left-arm spinner Shahbaz Ahmed struck two wickets, leaving Madhya Pradesh needing 14 runs off the last wicket.
Shami soon returned to pick up the final wicket, dismissing Kumar Kartikeya to bag his seventh wicket of the match. Besides his bowling exploits of 7/156 in the match, Shami also registered his highest First-Class score for Bengal, knocking a quickfire 36-ball 37 in the second innings.
Shami was not named in India’s 18-member Border Gavaskar Trophy squad, but his childhood coach Mohammed Badruddin is hopeful that his ward will travel to Australia at some point in the series.
“He will be joining the Indian team after the Adelaide (second) Test. Now that he is back, proved his fitness, picked up wickets, he will be crucial for the team in the second half of the tour,” he told the Indian Express.
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