Puducherry stun Bengal by 81 runs

Hyderabad, Dec 6 (PTI) Spinners Jayant Yadav and Sidak Singh outshone out-of-favour India pacer Mohammed Shami with four and three wickets respectively as Puducherry stunned Bengal by 81 runs in a Group C match of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy here on Saturday.

Electing to field first, Bengal restricted Puducherry to 177 for 5 with veteran Shami taking three wickets for 34 runs from his four overs. He was well supported by off-spinner Writtick Chatterjee (2/53) while pacer Akash Deep went wicketless.

For Puducherry, captain Aman Khan top-scored with a strokeful 40-ball 74, studded with five fours and seven sixes, while Jashwanth Shreeram contributed 45.

Chasing 178 for a win, Bengal were bowled out for 96 in just 13.5 overs, with off-spinner Jayant taking four wickets for 28 runs from his four overs, while left-arm spinner Sidak returned with stunning figures of 3 for 9 from his three overs.

Adil Ayub Tunda and Aman Khan got one wicket each.

For Bengal, Karan Lal top-scored with 40 off 23 balls while his opening partner Abhishek Porel and captain Abhimanyu Easwaran made 11 and 12 respectively. All other Bengal batters could not reach double digit figures.

In another match, Gujarat beat Himachal Pradesh by one wicket in a thrilling last-ball finish.

Put in to bat, Himachal Pradesh made 193 for 8 with Mridul Surroch top-scoring with 88 off 48 deliveries. Opener Innesh Mahajan and Akash Vasisht chipped in with 36 and 49 respectively.

Harshal Patel, Arzan Nagwaswalla and Japagnya Bhatt took two wickets apiece for Gujarat.

Gujarat overhauled the target in the final ball of the run chase. Captain Urvil Patel (39), Aarya Desai (37) and Saurav Chauhan (35) made valuable contributions though no batter scored big.

For Himachal, Mridul Surroch was the most successful bowlers with three wickets for 45 runs.

Brief Scores: Puducherry 177 for 5 in 20 overs (Aman Khan 74; Mohammed Shami 3/34) beat Bengal 96 all out in 13.5 overs (Jayant Yadav 4/28, Sidak Singh 3/9) by 81 runs.

Himachal Pradesh 193 for 8 in 20 overs (Mridul Surroch 88; Japagnya Bhatt 2/31) lost to Gujarat 194 for 9 in 20 overs (Urvil Patel 39; Mridul Surroch 3/45) by one wicket. PTI PDS PDS AT AT