Summary:
Cuttack, Feb 27 (PTI) Bengal once again rode on Shahbaz Ahmed"s all-round effort to thrash Hyderabad by 72 runs for their second successive win in the Ranji Trophy here on Sunday.
Fresh from scripting Bengal"s epic turnaround against Baroda in the previous group B match, the left-arm spin bowling all-rounder followed up his gritty second innings 51 with fine figures of 16-5-41-3.
Pacer Akash Deep was the wrecker-in-chief (13.2-2-41-4) as Hyderabad, who were overnight 16 for three in their pursuit of 239, folded for 166 inside two sessions.
Mukesh Kumar (2/49) and Ishan Porel (1/20) were also among the wickets as Bengal (12 points) went past Hyderabad to occupy the top spot in Group B with a match left.
Mumbai Indians" Rs 1.7 crore IPL 2022 buyout Tilak Varma (90 from 152 balls; 9x4, 1x6) waged a lone battle for Hyderabad after Himalay Agarwal"s first ball dismissal by Akash Deep on the final day.
Playing his third Ranji match, the 19-year-old looked at ease and threatened to steal the show from Bengal before Akash Deep ended his dogged resistance, dismissing him 1o runs shy of a maiden first-class century.