Decoding Bengal's journey to semi-finals of Ranji Trophy 2025-26
What's the story
Bengal stormed into the semi-finals of the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 season after a dominant innings and 90-run victory over Andhra in a crunch quarter-final clash. The match was played at the Bengal Cricket Academy ground in Kalyani. The win comes as a major boost for Bengal, who last reached the semi-finals in the 2022-23 season. We decode Bengal's journey to the Ranji 2025-26 semis.
Match details
Summary of Bengal's clash against Andhra
Mukesh Kumar's fifer and Akash Deep's four-fer helped Bengal bowl Andhra out for 295 in the 1st innings. Skipper Ricky Bhui scored a valiant 83 for Andhra. Thereafter, Sudip Kumar Gharami's 299 saw Bengal post a mammoth score of 629/10. Sumanta Gupta (81) and Shakir Habib Gandhi (95) also chipped in. Andhra were folded for 244 next with all-rounder Shahbaz Ahmed taking a four-fer.
Information
Bengal to face J&K in the semis
Abhimanyu Easwaran's Bengal will face Jammu and Kashmir in the semis. J&K overcame Madhya Pradesh by 56 runs at the Holkar Stadium, Indore. Bengal and J&K's clash will be held at the Bengal Cricket Academy Ground, Kalyani. The match will start from February 15.
Numbers
Who are Bengal's top performers in Ranji 2025-26?
From 8 matches (12 innings), Gharami owns 651 runs at 54.25. He has hit two centuries and three fifties. Across 10 innings (8 matches), Gupta has amassed 506 runs with a century and 4 fifties to show for. Sudip Chatterjee is next with 430 runs at 61.42. (100s: 1, 50s: 2). Among bowlers, Shahbaz has collected 39 scalps from 7 matches (13 innings) at 15.53. Mohammed Shami has claimed 28 scalps at 18.03 from six matches.
Group stage
Bengal topped Group C
In Group C, Bengal topped the table with an impressive 36 points from 7 matches. They claimed a total of 5 wins and recorded two draws. Bengal were the only side from Group C to remain unscathed. Uttarakhand, who have also reached the semis, finished 2nd in Group C. They secured qualification for the quarters with 29 points, six behind leaders Bengal.