BGL vs CG

Sudip Kumar Gharami (captain, Bengal): When we were batting first, I though the runs on board were 20-30 short with no partnerships in the middle as well. The confidence will be on the rise. The bowling attack we have is top notch with the bowlers also aiding us when setting up fields in the middle

Sayan Ghosh is the Player of the Match: I am feeling great on winning the knockout game and it feels even better to defend 160 runs on this ground. We did not have any pressure when we came out to defend. We were confident that we will do well as we did in the league stages. Shami bhai gave us a good start in the second innings. Shami bhai's runs were crucial for the team and that's why we were able to defend successfully.

Manan Vohra (captain, Chandigarh): To be honest, the way we bowled upfront I thought we could have restricted them around 135-140 runs but we gave them 20 extra runs towards the end. Mohammed bhai just made it look like easy hitting at the end and it was tough one to swallow. Early on there was moisture on the pitch and we wanted to take advantage of that. Nevertheless, chasing 160 runs and a good wicket, we pretty much made it to the last over. But kudos to the guy who bowled the last over (Ghosh). He executed really well.The pitch changed pretty much when it was our chance to bat on. It was quite batting friendly because of the sun in the morning.

2:31 pm local time: Bengal beat Chandigarh by 3 runs and advance to the SMAT 2024-25 Quarterfinals

Chandigarh: 156/9 after 20 overs
Raj Bawa: 32(20b) | Sayan Ghosh: 4/30 (4 overs)
Pradeep Yadav: 27(19b) | Kanishk Seth: 2/35 (4 overs)

What a game we have been treated to! This was a proper humdinger, as they say, with no idea who would go on to win this game. The match was tilting once towards Chandigarh and then towards Bengal, but in the end, it was Bengal who won the game. They will now face Baroda in the Quarterfinals of the SMAT 2024-25.

Much like Bengal, Chandigarh had a shaky start to their chase and lost one of their openers cheaply. There was a point in time when Pardeep Yadav and Raj Bawa stitched together a fine partnership but the pair was separated soon. Later it was Jagjit Singh and Nikhil Sharma who took the game till the end but fell short.

Bengal pacers were at full tilt and had their tails up. Sayan Ghosh was the lead pacer as he picked up four wickets with Kanishk Seth also picking up two wickets. Mohammed Shami, who earlier had chipped in with the bat in hand, also picked up a wicket. Among spinners, Shahbaz Ahmed was the only slow bowler to pick up a wicket.

Let's now go down to the presentation ceremony to hear what the captains have to say

19.6 Sayan Ghosh to Nishunk Birla, FOUR! full outside off stump, that's struck well to through covers to the fence. However, that won't be enough. Bengal win by 3 runs and move to the quarter-final.

19.5 Sayan Ghosh to Nikhil Sharma, WICKET!! full just outside off and that's struck flat with power only to find the fielder at covers. Nikhil Sharma departs and with that they have just fell short of qualifying for quarter-final.

Nikhil Sharma c Writtick Chatterjee b Sayan Ghosh 22 (17b, 0x4, 2x6)

19.4 Sayan Ghosh to Nikhil Sharma, WIDE and RUN OUT!! The ball was wide down the leg side. Jagjit thought there could be another run off it and came to the batting end and that was an easy run out on the non-striker's end.

Jagjit Singh run out (Abishek Porel/ Sayan Ghosh) 12(7b,1x4,1x6)

Shami gets a taste of his own medicine here and Chandigarh have kept themselves alive in this contest with the last over. They need 11 runs to win in 6 balls. Sayan Ghosh will bowl the over