SMAT: Mohammed Shami’s heroics lift Bengal to quarter-finals

Mohammed Shami delivered a stellar all-round performance to guide Bengal to a narrow three-run victory over Chandigarh in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Monday. Bengal’s win secured their place in the tournament’s quarter-finals.

Shami’s efforts were pivotal with both bat and ball. Coming in at number 10, the 34-year-old smashed an unbeaten 32 off 17 deliveries, including three fours and two sixes. His late cameo lifted Bengal to a competitive total of 159/9, marking his highest score in T20 cricket.

Bengal’s total was built on contributions from Karan Lal, who top-scored with 33 runs, Writtick Chatterjee’s steady 38, and Pradipta Pramanik’s crucial 40-run knock.

In the chase, Shami struck early, dismissing Chandigarh opener Arslan Khan for a golden duck. Despite a fighting 32 from Raj Bawa, Chandigarh’s innings stumbled under pressure. The equation boiled down to 20 runs needed off the last two overs with three wickets in hand.

Shami bowled a tight penultimate over, conceding just 12 runs and finishing his spell with impressive figures of 3-0-13-1. In the final over, seamer Sayan Ghosh held his nerve, delivering two dot balls and taking two wickets to seal the three-run win for Bengal. Ghosh ended the match with a brilliant four-wicket haul that dismantled Chandigarh’s lower order.

Bengal’s hard-fought victory keeps Shami in the spotlight as speculation grows about his potential return to the Indian team for the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) in Australia. After India’s 10-wicket defeat in Adelaide, skipper Rohit Sharma admitted during a press conference that “the door remains open” for Shami to join the squad.