Kumar Kartikeya claims 5 as Madhya Pradesh thump Bengal by 174 runs to reach Ranji Trophy final for 1st time since 1998-99 

Madhya Pradesh (MP) defeated Bengal by 174 runs on Day 5 of the Ranji Trophy 2022 first semi-final in Alur and confirmed their place in the final. Chasing a target of 350, Bengal were bowled out for 175 in their second innings.

Left-arm spinner Kumar Kartikeya stood out for MP with figures of five for 67 while Gaurav Yadav finished with three for 19. Following their impressive win, MP qualified for the Ranji Trophy final for the first time since 1998-99.

Bengal resumed their innings at 96 for four with skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran unbeaten on 52 and Anustup Majumdar on eight. However, Majumdar perished without adding to his overnight score, caught behind off Yadav.

Bengal’s faint hopes perished when Kartikeya cleaned up Easwaran for 78. The Bengal captain was the lone warrior for his team in the second innings. He occupied the crease for 157 balls and hit seven fours but was always fighting a losing battle.

Sayan Mondal was trapped lbw by Saransh Jain for one, while Pradipta Pramanik fell to Kartikeya for five. Akash Deep threw his bat around and smacked three sixes in his 20-ball 11. He eventually fell to Yadav, who also claimed the last wicket, cleaning up Mukesh Kumar for four and confirming MP’s berth in the Ranji Trophy 2022 final.

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Himanshu Mantri set up MP’s victory in the Ranji Trophy 2022 semi-final

MP opener Himanshu Mantri laid the foundation of the team’s win in the Ranji Trophy 2022 semi-final, scoring a brilliant 165 off 327 balls in the first innings. The keeper-batter struck 19 fours and a six as MP posted a competitive 341. At one stage, MP were in trouble at 97 for four. However, a fifth-wicket stand of 123 between Mantri and Akshat Raghuwanshi (63 off 81) lifted the team.

On the bowling front, they reduced Bengal to 54 for five before centuries from Manoj Tiwary and Shahbaz Ahmed rescued the opponents. However, once the 183-run stand was broken, MP were back on top as they bowled out Bengal for 273. Kartikeya, Jain and Puneet Datey all claimed three wickets each.

In MP’s second innings, half-centuries from Rajat Patidar (79) and skipper Aditya Shrivastava (82) ensured that the team finished with a significant lead despite Shahbaz Ahmed’s five-fer. In the end, a target of 350 proved way beyond Bengal’s reach as Kartikeya ran through the batting line-up.