Bengal’s shaky top order cost them again this season as they lost to Karnataka by 19 runs in their Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy opener at the Wankhede on Saturday.
Bowling first, Bengal, led by Sayan Ghosh (4/28), who lost his father recently, and left-arm spinner Pradipta Pramanik (2/19), did well to limit Karnataka to 184. But in reply, Bengal could manage only 165/9, despite a fifth-wicket partnership of 96 between Sudip Gharami (65 off 42 balls) and Shahbaz Ahmed (56 off 37 balls).
Gharami and Shahbaz had to start almost from scratch, after Bengal were reduced to 24/4 in four overs. They had lost almost half the battle in the Powerplay itself, with Abishek Porel, captain Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karan Lal and debutant Rishabh Chaudhary back in the dugout.
Karnataka’s pace duo, left-armer Abhilash Shetty and Vijaykumar Vyshak, bowled a double-wicket maiden over apiece.
In the first over of the run chase, Shetty accounted for Porel and Easwaran off successive deliveries before Vyshak removed Karan and Chaudhary in the fourth.
Thereafter, Bengal’s chase lost steam once Gharami perished in the 14th over.
Brief scores: Karnataka 184 in 20 ovs (Karun Nair 53; Sayan Ghosh 4/28). Bengal 165/9 in 20 ovs (Sudip Gharami 65, Shahbaz Ahmed 56; Abhilash Shetty 4/26, Vijaykumar Vyshak 3/28). Karnataka won by 19 runs.
Youngest captain
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, at 15 years and 232 days, became the youngest captain in men’s T20 history when he led Bihar in their opener against Saurashtra in Indore. He broke the record held by Croatia’s Zach Vukusic, who captained his national team at 17 years and 311 days.
Sooryavanshi’s first game as captain didn’t go too well, though, as he scored only 18
off 12 balls in Bihar’s five-wicket defeat.