SMAT 2025: Karan Lal roars with Century as Bengal chase 209 against Himachal Pradesh

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Karan Lal played a scintillating knock as Bengal beat Himachal Pradesh by 5 wickets in an exciting Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Elite Group C match held at Gymkhana Ground in Hyderabad.

Himachal Pradesh posted a competitive total of 208 for 5 in their 20 overs, with Ekant Sen scoring a brilliant 89 off 50 balls and Pukhraj Mann smashing 79 off 36 balls. In response, Bengal chased down the target in 18.4 overs, reaching 212 for 5, thanks to a match-winning innings by Karan Lal.

Karan Lal was the star performer for Bengal, playing a sensational innings of 113 runs off just 50 balls, including 8 fours and 10 sixes, at an impressive strike rate of 226. His aggressive batting provided the backbone of Bengal's chase, turning the game in their favor with powerful hitting and timely boundaries. Alongside him, Abishek Porel contributed a quick 41 runs, helping Bengal maintain the momentum towards victory.

Despite Karan's wicket at the end, Akash Deep and Sudip Gharami took Bengal over the line comfortably in the end. Akash Deep scored 17 off just 5, while Gharami also remained unbeaten for 18 off 8 deliveries.

For Himachal Pradesh, Ekant Sen and Pukhraj Mann were the key batsmen who pushed the team to a strong total. On the bowling front, Shahbaz Ahmed stood out for Bengal by taking 3 crucial wickets for 36 runs, while Mohammed Shami, Mukesh Kumar, and others bowled economically at times but couldn't contain Bengal's aggressive batting.

The win was a remarkable team effort by Bengal, as they have come back to winning ways in the SMAT 2025 after their recent loss against Punjab. With the century of Karan Lal, this is the first time Bengal has scored consecutive centuries in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in their history.