Captain Prithvi Shaw led from the front with an unbeaten half-century as Maharashtra completed a crushing 10-wicket victory over Bengal in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group C match at Eden Gardens on Thursday.
Chasing just 112, Maharashtra knocked off the runs in 19.4 overs without losing a wicket, with Shaw finishing on 53 not out off 50 balls — striking three fours and four sixes — and Sachin Dhas unbeaten on 61 off 68 balls with 10 boundaries. It was Shaw’s second fifty of the season, and the win took Maharashtra to the top of Group C with 19 points, one ahead of Bengal.
Bengal, who had been bowled out for 143 in their first innings, resumed on 76 for 4 in their second innings holding a slender one-run lead. But they were dismissed for 186, adding only 110 runs while losing their remaining six wickets in under 31 overs on the final morning. Abhishek Porel top-scored with 65, while Sumanta Gupta made 59 and Ankur Paul 32, but Pradeep Dadhe’s four for 48 and Hitesh Walunj’s four for 53 kept the pressure on throughout.
Maharashtra had earlier posted 218 in their first innings, a total built despite a four-wicket haul from Mohammed Shami, who continued his return to competitive cricket with the ball. The 75-run first-innings lead proved decisive, and Maharashtra’s bowlers never allowed Bengal to build a partnership big enough to set a challenging target.
The defeat exposed familiar batting frailties for Bengal, who had gone into the match at the top of the group. Their slide to second, on 18 points, leaves the race for the knockout places finely poised as the tournament pauses for the white-ball leg of the domestic season.
For Shaw, the win was another step in a season in which he has spoken openly about hoping to force his way back into the India reckoning. Leading Maharashtra from the front — and finishing the chase himself — will only strengthen his case as the domestic season moves into its T20 phase.
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