Maharashtra’s united effort — highlighted by Pradeep Dhade and Hitesh Walunj’s four-wicket hauls and Sachin Dhas and Prithvi Shaw’s unbeaten half-centuries — earned it a comprehensive 10-wicket win over Bengal in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group-C cricket match at the Eden Gardens here on Thursday (November 5, 2026).

Bengal scored 186 in its second innings to set a target of 112, which Maharashtra achieved quickly and secured a bonus point even as bad light curtailed play for three days.

With seven points from its second outright win for a total of 19, the second-placed Maharashtra leapfrogged Bengal to the top of the table.

Maharashtra’s opening pair of Shaw-Dhas made a mockery of Bengal’s bowling with breezy knocks. Dhas (61 n.o., 68b, 10×4) played attacking strokes along the ground on both sides and reached his fifty in just 43 balls. Shaw (53 n.o., 50b, 3×4, 4×6), who executed lovely drives and hammered some straight sixes, reached his second half-century in 47 balls.

Maharashtra posted its biggest win of the season, while Bengal experienced its first defeat. 

In the morning, Abishek Porel and Sumanta Gupta’s fifties saved Bengal from a bigger embarrassment.

The host, resuming from 76 for four, lost two more wickets within half an hour. Seamer Dadhe trapped Suraj Jaiswal and Shahbaz Ahmed, who could not utilise a ‘life,’ leg before.

Porel (65, 84b, 5×4, 1×6), beginning from 23, and Sumanta (59, 93b, 5×4), dropped on 31, formed a 64-run partnership. Both played the balls on merit, rotated the strike and hit well-timed boundaries on either side.

Their partnership ended when left-arm spinner Hitesh Walunj’s ball jumped and hit Porel’s gloves on its way to the slip.

Maharashtra maintained pressure to push for victory. Dadhe, who bowled beautifully in a good channel and managed subtle movement from the pitch, and Walunj, who stuck to a tight line, played important roles

Bengal could not play out time and surrendered meekly.

The scores: Bengal — 1st innings: 143.

Maharashtra — 1st innings: 218.

Bengal — 2nd innings: Abhimanyu Easwaran c Nawale b Dadhe 9, Ankur Paul c Patil b Walunj 32, Sudip Gharami c Patil b Sanghavi 12, Sudip Chatterjee lbw b Sanghavi 0, Abishek Porel c Patil b Walunj 65, Suraj Jaiswal lbw b Dadhe 0, Shahbaz Ahmed lbw b Dadhe 0, Sumanta Gupta b Dadhe 59, Pradipta Pramanik c Bawne b Walunj 0, Mohammed Shami c Patil b Walunj 6, Mohammed Kaif (not out) 0; Extras (w-1, nb-2): 3; Total (in 54.4 overs): 186.

Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-25, 3-25, 4-74, 5-79, 6-87, 7-151, 8-166, 9-180.

Maharashtra bowling: Dadhe 17.4-3-48-4, Hangargekar 2-1-7-0, Sanghavi 15-1-59-2, Kate 1-0-13-0, Walunj 14-1-53-4, Veer 5-0-6-0.

Maharashtra — 2nd innings: Prithvi Shaw (not out) 53, Sachin Dhas (not out) 61; Total (for no loss in 19.4 overs): 114.

Bengal bowling: Shami 4-1-25-0, Jaiswal 1-0-12-0, Kaif 3-0-20-0, Shahbaz 6.4-1-40-0, Pramanik 5-0-17-0.

Published – November 05, 2026 05:59 pm IST