Bengal defeat Delhi by nine wickets in Ranji Trophy Elite Group C match at Kalyani

Bengal beat Delhi by nine wickets at the Bengal Cricket Academy ground in Kalyani in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group C match on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. The visitors were dismissed for 277 in their second innings and Bengal reached the 89-run target in 15.3 overs.

Re-starting its second innings at 101 for three, Delhi relied on skipper Ayush Badoni’s 85 (134b, 10x4) to post 277 and set Bengal a modest 89 to win. Bengal depended on its spinners’ combined return of seven wickets and a brisk opening stand to chase down the target in the final session.

Badoni and his overnight left-handed partner Anuj Rawat (39, 76b, 7x4) built a 95-run partnership on a slow pitch, driving and sweeping effectively before the stand was broken. Off-spinner Aamir Gani used the rough to provide the breakthrough, bowling Rawat around his legs as he attempted a reverse sweep.

Retired hurt overnight, Yash Dhull added 45 with Badoni to help erase the deficit before lunch. Part-timer Sumanta Gupta’s off-break ball jumped to hit Dhull’s pad and brushed his gloves on its way to first slip at the stroke of lunch.

Delhi then lost three quick wickets after the break, with left-arm spinner Pradipta Pramanik finding Badoni’s outside edge from over the wicket. Dev Lakra and Hrithik Shokeen fell to Gani and Pramanik respectively, after which Delhi’s tail-enders delayed the finish for about 20 overs.

Bengal’s openers Abhimanyu Easwaran (34 not out, 40b, 2x4) and debutant Ankur Paul (38, 41b, 3x4) combined for 64 runs at a healthy rate, with Paul striking a straight six off Divij Mehra. When Paul holed out the chase became a formality. "Gupta has a different trajectory. I introduced him to exploit the rough," said Abhimanyu, while praising Paul’s innings.

Delhi — 1st innings: 240. Bengal — 1st innings: 429.

Delhi — 2nd innings: Sarthak Ranjan b Akash 3, Sanat Sangwan b Pramanik 25, Yash Dhull c Abhimanyu b Sumanta 22, Ayush Doseja c sub b Mukesh 19, Ayush Badoni c Abhimanyu b Pramanik 85, Anuj Rawat b Gani 39, Dev Lakra st Porel b Gani 13, Hrithik Shokeen b Pramanik 8, Divij Mehra c Porel b Shami 21, Navdeep Saini (not out) 20, Simarjeet Singh b Sumanta 11; Extras (b-6, lb-3, w-1, nb-1): 11; Total (in 106.2 overs): 277. Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-51, 3-59, 4-154, 5-199, 6-213, 7-225, 8-225, 9-256.

Bengal bowling: Shami 18-7-29-1, Akash 16-5-29-1, Mukesh 12-4-34-1, Gani 24-4-84-2, Pramanik 33-11-72-3, Sumanta 3.2-0-20-2.

Bengal — 2nd innings: Abhimanyu Easwaran (not out) 34, Ankur Paul c Lakra b Shokeen 38, Sudip Gharami (not out) 16: Extras (w-1): 1; Total (for one wkt. in 15.3 overs): 89.

Delhi bowling: Badoni 2-0-11-0, Mehra 4-0-18-0, Shokeen 4-0-27-1, Simarjeet 2-0-18-0, Saini 3-0-13-0, Ranjan 0.3-0-2-0.

The win earned Bengal six points in their Ranji Trophy opener.