Ranji Trophy: Pradipta Pramanik picks six as Bengal crush Kerala by 287 runs
Bengal completed a dominant win at Mangalapuram to move to the top of Elite Group C.
Pradipta Pramanik finished with 6/51 as Bengal bowled Kerala out for 120 to win by 287 runs. Shahbaz Ahmed was named player of the match, and Bengal will next face Maharashtra.
Key takeaways
- Bengal won by 287 runs against Kerala at Mangalapuram in Thiruvananthapuram.
- Pradipta Pramanik took 6/51 and finished the match with 10 wickets for 95 runs.
- Shahbaz Ahmed scored 121 in the first innings and was named player of the match.
- Bengal moved to the top of Elite Group C with 12 points after a third consecutive win.
- Bengal will next face Maharashtra.
Bengal beat Kerala by 287 runs in a Ranji Trophy Elite Group C match at Mangalapuram in Thiruvananthapuram. Pradipta Pramanik claimed 6/51 as Kerala’s second innings folded for 120 before lunch on the final day. The match ended with Bengal securing their third consecutive victory of the season.
Match details
Resuming the final day at 53 for 4, Kerala lost Salman Nazir early, with Mohammed Shami dismissing him for 11 after Abhishek Porel took the catch. Shahbaz Ahmed then removed Aditya Sarvate for a duck, with Easwaran completing the catch.
Pramanik struck twice in quick succession to put Bengal firmly in control. Vaisakh Chandran was bowled by the left-arm spinner before Md Nidheesh was trapped leg-before-wicket.
Nedumankuzhy Basil was run out without scoring as Kerala’s second innings folded for 120 runs before lunch, handing Bengal a comprehensive victory.
First innings and Bengal’s reply
3 overs to wrap up Kerala’s first innings for 141. Pramanik claimed four for 44, once again acting as the wrecker-in-chief, claiming three of the four wickets that fell in the first session. Mohammed Shami took three wickets for 35 runs.
Bengal replied with 350 in their first innings, built around Shahbaz Ahmed’s hundred of 121 runs. Bengal then declared or were dismissed for 198 in their second innings, with Abhimanyu Easwaran scoring 47. Jalaj Saxena took five wickets for 70 runs.
Mohammed Shami clubbed three sixes in a quickfire cameo of 26 to extend the lead beyond 400.
Bengal’s decision and Kerala’s chase
Bengal did not enforce the follow-on despite taking a 209-run first-innings lead on a turning pitch at Mangalapuram. The side sacrificed a potential bonus point to avoid batting on what could be a treacherous fourth-day pitch. Kerala were set a massive target of 408.
The pitch revealed its true character on the third day, showing a distinct inclination to spinners. The tweakers accounted for 16 of the 18 wickets that fell on the penultimate day and it left Kerala staring at defeat, tottering at 53 for four.
Captain Vishnu Vinod was batting on 19 and Salman Nizar was yet to get off the mark after left-arm spinner Pradipta Pramanik took four for 21 and wiped out the Kerala top-order.
Pramanik’s performance and player of the match
Pradipta Pramanik delivered the best bowling performance of his first-class career, finishing with figures of 6/51 in the second innings. His match haul of 10 wickets for 95 runs played a pivotal role in Bengal’s emphatic win.
Shahbaz Ahmed was named the player of the match for his superb hundred of 121 runs in the first innings and two wickets in the game. Mohammed Shami took four wickets in the match.
Standings and context
The victory marked Bengal’s third consecutive victory in the ongoing Ranji Trophy season, taking Abhimanyu Easwaran’s side to the top of Elite Group C with 12 points.
The Ranji Trophy is an annual domestic first-class cricket championship played in India, organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India, with teams representing the various member associations of the BCCI taking part.
The 2026–27 Ranji Trophy is the 92nd season of the tournament, scheduled to take place from 11 October 2026 to 3 March 2027 as part of the 2026–27 Indian Domestic Cricket Season announced by the BCCI in June 2026. Jammu and Kashmir are the defending champions.
What happens next
Bengal will next face Maharashtra.
Brief scores from the match
Team | First innings | Second innings | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
Bengal | 350 | 198 | Won by 287 runs |
Kerala | 141 | 120 | Lost |
Related on Apex Sports News
Ranji Trophy: Bengal close to third straight win after Pramanik strikes
Ranji Trophy: Shahbaz and Shami put Bengal in command against Kerala
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