Match Details

BEN vs SAUR Final, Ranji Trophy 2022-23

SAUR 404(110.0)

14-12.4

Saurashtra won by 9 wickets 🏆

174(54.1)

BEN

70.4241-10

Match info

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Scorecard

Commentary

11.55 PM IST: That's the end of the Ranji Trophy here in Kolkata. Saurashtra is the new Champions🏆 of the Ranji Trophy. Hope you have enjoyed all the action here at our network. For now, this is me Saipavan Janaki signing it off along with my co-commentators Srivathsa and Saptak alongside our scorer Raju Khairya. Stay tuned for more coverage going on in our network, take care, stay safe, and enjoy!!!!🙌🙌🙌

Jaydev Unadkat receives the trophy and a big roar from the players. The rest of the players join for the photographs. The Party begins in Kolkata. They are posing behind the 'CHAMPIONS' board.

Jaydev Unadkat | Saurashtra Captain: "Well, I think championships are not just won by one or couple of games it's all about a long season. When we started the white ball season and we didn’t win the Mushtaq Ali but we won the Vijay Hazare. Absolutely proud of the guys and how they contributed to the team and that’s the secret of the success, the guys have lots of stability and everyone was there when the team requires it. It's a team achievement and also an association, selection committee and the families, who supported us. All equally make us better. We have worked smartly and improved in the areas we had to, so that's why we have been successful. As long as you give your best and we have worked smartly and worked in the nets. If there was any need for me, I'm ready to do that for the team, and I love to play for Saurashtra and I feel that I will step out and contribute. Also, congratulate Bengal and they did well, absolutely brilliant achievement for you guys also. They reached the final against us last time (2020). They played the semifinal (2022) and then the final again (2023). It's an absolutely brilliant achievement for you guys as well. I am sure with the group that they have they will keep fighting to win this trophy. I would like to call Arpit with me to lift the trophy because he led the team when I wasn't there."

Arpit Vasavada | Player of the Series: "I feel lucky that I performed when the team needed me. My strength is my defence, so I focus on that. I am happy I perform when my team needs me. We were confident, last time I also performed well and this time I performed very well in the final."

Manoj Tiwary | Bengal captain: "Great season for us. I want to congratulate Jaydev Unadkat and his team. I want to thank BCCI for releasing him for this match. Want to congratulate BCCI as well for organising the event so well. It all started on day one when we lost the toss. There was moisture on the wicket. The moisture on the wicket was difficult for our batters to show our skill-set. After that, we were never in the game. We wanted to build a partnership but unfortunately, it was my mistake. I didn't see the ball and when I saw the ball it was too late. Sorry to all Bengal cricket lovers. It was heartening to see the way bowlers bowled. There are always positives and we will discuss in the dressing room, we will work on those areas. In the battle of Tigers and Lions. the Lions have won this time. But next time, we will be much better prepared."

Saurashtra deserving Ranji Champs for 2023. They have outplayed Bengal to win by 9 wickets. Earlier on in the game, they bowled out Bengal for 174 with a fine bowling performance. Chetan Sakariya and Jaydev Unadkat reduced Bengal to 2/3 and soon it was 17/4 on day 1 as they made the most of conditions.

Shahbaz Ahmed and Abisekh Porel then strung a partnership of 101 for the 7th wicket before it was broken and Bengal folded for 174. In reply, Saurashtra piled on the runs in the first innings as they made 404 with fifties for Harvik Desai, Sheldon Jackson, Arpit Vasavada and Chirag Jani. No-one got a hundred but significant contributions from most, gave Saurashtra a healthy first innings lead.

Bengal needed a big reply in their 2nd innings to come back but again it was the inspirational skipper of Saurashtra, Unadkat, who came to the party. He finished with 6 wickets and fittingly finished the game off today.

Bengal thought they were fighting back when Anustup Majumdar and Manoj Tiwary added 99 and then when Shahbaz was with Tiwary but an unnecessary run-out of the left-arm spinner opened the door for Saurashtra today and they just knocked it down to emerge champions again.

Bengal did well not to suffer an innings defeat as the last-wicket pair of Mukesh Kumar and Ishan Porel added 36 to make sure Saurashtra batted again.

Saurashtra knocked off the 12 runs needed for the loss of Jay Gohil for a duck but there was no doubt about the eventual result after Bengal lost their 6 wickets in quick time today.

Stay tuned for the post-match presentation...

That's the victory for Saurashtra. They have kissed the cup twice in the last three years. Entire Bengal team looks pretty upset here.

2.4 M Kumar to H Desai

4 FOUR!!! WINNING RUNS !!!! Short of a length delivery on the middle stump line, Desai stands tall and pulls it over the short midwicket fielder, and the ball races towards the boundary rope for four runs. Saurashtra win this game by 9 wickets and they are the new champions of the Ranji Trophy.

2.3 M Kumar to V Jadeja

1 Fuller delivery, on the pads, Jadeja clips it to the fine leg for a single.

2.2 M Kumar to V Jadeja

4 FOUR!!! Fuller length delivery, angling into the batter, Jadeja gets the outside edge of the bat and the ball passes between gully and slip fielder and goes for four runs.

2.1 M Kumar to V Jadeja

0 Fuller on the pads, Jadeja prods forward and defends it on the short square leg for none.

OVER 2

Saurashtra

5/1

Harvik Desai

0(7)

Vishvaraj Jadeja

5(4)

Akash Deep

1-5(1.0)

1.6 A Deep to H Desai

0 Fuller delivery, swinging away from the batter. Who lefts it alone to the keeper to end the over.

1.5 A Deep to V Jadeja

1 Good length delivery on the middle and leg stump line, Jadeja flicks it to the midwicket for a run.

1.4 A Deep to V Jadeja

0 Overpitched delivery on the off stump line, Jadeja drills it to the off side for none.

1.3 A Deep to V Jadeja

0 Fuller on the middle stump line, Jadeja defended with soft hands.

1.2 A Deep to V Jadeja

4 FOUR!!! Edge and goes for four runs !!! Fuller delivery on the 5th line stump this time, Jadeja gets the outside edge of the bat and passes from the gully area for four runs.