Captain Abhimanyu Easwaran was sure that the team had “belief” to overcome the tall target Bengal faced. He was not wrong as Bengal batted with plenty of self-confidence on the final day of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group B match against Baroda in Cuttack to record a remarkable four-wicket victory.
Remarkable because it was a terrific turnaround for Bengal to chase down a target of 349 runs after they were embarrassingly shot out for 88 in the first innings.
The team, as a whole, deserves credit for not giving up even when the chips were down, but special mention must be made of two players — Shahbaz Ahmed and Abishek Porel. The duo came together when Bengal were 242/6 and had lost their last specialist batsman, the much experienced Manoj Tiwary (37). More than hundred runs were still required and one more wicket would have given Baroda a peek into Bengal’s tail. But the two soaked in all the pressure to share an unbroken 108-run stand for the seventh wicket to take Bengal home.
While Shahbaz remained not out on 71 from 100 balls, Abishek was unconquered on 53 for 70 balls.
There is not much common between Shahbaz and Abishek, barring the fact that they both bat left-handed and both hit seven fours on Sunday. While the 27-year-old Shahbaz has been around in the circuit for quite a few years now, Abishek, 19, is taking his baby steps into senior-level cricket. Shahbaz is not originally from Bengal, he hails from Mewat in Haryana and came to Calcutta around eight years back; Abishek stays in Chandannagar in Hooghly. Shahbaz, who is an all-rounder and bowls left-arm spin, idolises Ravindra Jadeja, wicketkeeper-batsman Abishek wants to be like Adam Gilchrist. But at the crease on Sunday, they looked quite similar in their determination to carve out an improbable win.
Mature debutant
Young Abishek likes to hit the ball, but he chose to restrain himself for the team’s sake on Sunday.
“I knew it was important to settle down. I was just trying to play my natural game. Shahbaz da from the other end was helping me feel confident. I knew staying at the wicket would be important and I just did that,” Abishek told The Telegraph from Cuttack.
But being a Ranji Trophy debutant, wasn’t he nervous when he walked out to bat in such a tricky situation?
“I was a bit nervous before the game, that was not for my batting, but for wicketkeeping. But I talked with my childhood coach Bibhas Sir (Das) and he gave me a simple but very important suggestion… ‘No need to think much. Just do what you have been doing for the last few years’. I followed that,” Abishek, who was a member of the India U-19 World Cup-winning squad, said.
“Everybody in the dressing room encouraged me and told me not to take any additional pressure. I knew while playing every ball that the whole team was behind me. That worked as a confidence booster,” he added.
Abishek happens to be the cousin brother of Ishan Porel, who too is an important part of the current senior Bengal team set-up. Ishan, a pacer, claimed a total of seven wickets in this match.
“I started playing the game seriously after seeing my brother (Ishan) doing well. So playing alongside him for Bengal is a great experience. He has always supported me and I believe he will remain beside me always.”
The finisher
Shahbaz’s innings was proof why Royal Challengers Bangalore bought him back for Rs 2.40 crore at the recently held IPL mega auction. He has had quite a few impressive performances for the Bangalore IPL team in the past and his Sunday show will definitely boost his confidence for the future.
Abhimanyu had words of praise for Shahbaz, and also for Abishek. “Shahbaz has batted with a lot of responsibility… and special mention of Abishek, the character he showed and the attitude he was batting with was great to watch,” Abhimanyu said.
“The best part is even when we had 349 runs to chase, every single member of the team believed that we can do the job,” he added. Avishek Dalmiya, the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president, too lauded Shahbaz. “Shahbaz once again showed why he is a fabulous finisher in any format of the game,” he said.
Brief scores:
Baroda 181 & 255. Bengal 88 & 350/6 (Abhimanyu Easwaran 79, Shahbaz Ahmed 71 n.o., Abishek Porel 53 n.o.; Abhimanyusingh Rajput 3/73). Bengal won by 4 wickets.
