Sun Nov 24 04:22:53 UTC 2024: ## Bengal’s Shahbaz Ahmed Blasts Century to Upset Defending Champion Punjab in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy
**Rajkot, India (Nov 23, 2024)** – Shahbaz Ahmed’s stunning unbeaten century powered Bengal to a thrilling four-wicket victory over defending champion Punjab in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on Saturday. The match, played at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot, saw Ahmed’s explosive 100 off just 49 balls overshadow the much-anticipated return of Mohammed Shami to white-ball cricket.
Punjab, beginning their title defense with a six off the first ball, posted a challenging 179 runs. Abhishek Sharma’s early blitz and Anmolpreet Singh’s powerful hitting propelled Punjab to a strong start. However, Bengal’s spinners tightened the screws in the middle overs, triggering a collapse after Anmolpreet’s run out. Shami, despite conceding early boundaries, eventually claimed the crucial wicket of Nehal Wadhera.
Chasing 180, Bengal found themselves reeling at 10/4 within four overs. However, Ahmed launched a spectacular counter-attack, smashing boundaries at will and forming a crucial 110-run partnership with captain Sudip Gharami (43). Despite Gharami’s dismissal, Ahmed continued his onslaught, finishing the chase with an over to spare. His incredible innings completely turned the tide of the match, securing a memorable win for Bengal.
First Piper 