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Mohammed Shami felt it was time for him to send a message with the ball and he did so in some style. The senior India pacer reminded everyone of his class with a searing spell of fast bowling on the final day, claiming four wickets to power Bengal to a dominant eight-wicket victory over Uttarakhand in their Ranji Trophy Group C encounter on Saturday.
Shami, who was involved in an indirect war of words with the chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar regarding his non-selection in the Indian ODI side for the Australia tour, let his ball do the talking on the final day of the Ranji fixture.
Resuming at a strong 165 for 2, Uttarakhand appeared set to bat Bengal out of the match. But Shami, showcasing his trademark control and reverse swing, triggered a dramatic collapse by removing skipper Kunal Chandela for 72 in the morning session. From there, the visitors crumbled, losing their last eight wickets for just 92 runs to be bowled out for 265.
Shami finished with exceptional figures of 4 for 38 from 24.4 overs, using the overcast conditions expertly and unleashing a lethal post-lunch burst that saw him dismantle the lower order, removing Abhay Negi, Janmejay Joshi, and Rajan Kumar in quick succession.
The pace trio of Bengal — Shami, Akash Deep (2/54), and Ishan Porel (2/48) — worked in tandem to choke the runs and dismantle the Uttarakhand batting lineup. Only Prashant Chopra (82) and Chandela showed any real resistance, with their efforts going in vain as the rest of the batting order offered little fight.
Chasing a modest 156 for victory, Bengal wasted no time in wrapping up the contest, reaching the target in just 29.3 overs. Skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran led the charge with a composed unbeaten 71 off 82 deliveries, studded with six boundaries.
Sudip Kumar Gharami contributed a brisk 46, including five fours and a six, while Vishal Bhati (16*) partnered Easwaran to complete the formalities with ease.
The convincing win earned Bengal six crucial points, further bolstering their position in the Group C standings. For Shami, this outing served as a timely reminder of his red-ball prowess, especially as he continues to work his way back into national reckoning after being left out of recent India squads.
With their bowling attack firing and the top order in solid form, Bengal will look to carry this momentum into the remaining group fixtures as the race for knockout spots intensifies.
