KOLKATA: Bengal took the pole position in Group E of the Syed Mushtaq Ali (T20) meet by thrashing minnows Sikkim by 84 runs at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana cricket stadium in Lucknow on Tuesday.
Both Bengal and Chhattisgarh are on 14 points now with three wins from four matches, but the Abhimanyu Easwaran-led side is at the top with a better run-rate.
Shahbaz Ahmed once again came good with the bat to help the side finish at 179 for six after Bengal opted to bat first on winning the toss. They did not get the best of starts losing the skipper in the first over and were reduced to 37 for three when opener Ranjot Karia and Writtick Chatterjee departed in quick succession.
But Shahbaz and Sudip Kumar Gharami steadied the innings, sharing a 69-run fourth-wicket stand. While Shahbaz hit a 33-ball 43, Gharami got 56 off 43 deliveries. Wicketkeeper-batter Agniv Pan provided a late flourish staying unbeaten on 34 that came off just 12 balls with the help of four sixes.
Sikkim made a steady start but were never really in the hunt as Bengal spinners Pradipta Pramanik (2-11), Shahbaz (1-22) and Writtick (1-11) struck at regular intervals.
Former India U-19 Asia Cup winning team member off-spinner Karan Lal claimed two for five as Sikkim managed just 95 for eight in their 20 overs. Pacer Ravi Kumar, used as an ‘Impact Player’ got one for 20.
Brief scores: Bengal 179/6 in 20 ovs (S Gharami 56, S Ahmed 43, A Pan 34*; P Tamang 2-42, S Singh 2-29). Sikkim 95/8 (A Thapa 21; P Pramanik 2-11, K Lal 2-5). Bengal won by 84 runs.
