Bagan win inaugural match of Bengal T20 Challenge

Ambar Bhattacharya, abptakmaa, Kolkata, 24th Nov 2020 : Manoj Tiwary hit a swashbuckling 39-ball 61 as Mohun Bagan picked a facile 17 run victory over Customs in the inaugural match of the Bengal T20 Challenge played in bio secure environment at the Eden Gardens today.

Customs won the toss and put Mohun Bagan to bat. Shedding the initial rustiness returning to game time after eight months, Mohun Bagan scored 156 losing five wickets. In reply Customs could only manage 139 for 6 in the stipulated 20 overs.

Customs began well reducing Bagan to 50 for three, but a fourth wicket partnership between Manoj Tiwary and Shivam Sharma turned the tide in Bagan’s favour. It was in this time that Manoj was at his destructive best as he hit 5 fours and 3 sixes enroute his 61 off 39 balls. Vivek Singh also played a handy knock of 35 off 29 deliveries with four boundaries and two sixes.

While talking about the game Manoj said: “I am happy to score half- century. I tried to utilize my experience and we got the result in our favour. It felt good to be back to the field again. Cricket has started again, nothing can be better than this.”

In reply Customs began steadily but could never press on the accelerator. So despite a fighting 55 from Abhishek Das and 23 each from Chirag Pathak and Subhankar Bal lost their way towards the end with the pressure of run rate building on the team.

Bapi Manna took two wickets for Customs while Sandipan Das (Jr) and Sayan Ghosh took two each for Bagan.