Bengal booked their place in the quarter-finals of the 2025/26 Ranji Trophy with a crushing innings-and-46-run win over Services in their Elite Group C encounter at the Bengal Cricket Academy ground. The hosts completed the formalities swiftly on the final day, wrapping up the match in under 20 minutes with veteran pacer Mohammed Shami leading the charge.

Shami delivered a clinical spell to finish with impressive figures of 5 for 51, triggering a dramatic collapse in the Services batting lineup. After being skittled for just 166 in their first innings, Services showed some fight in the second, but their total of 349 was never going to be enough to challenge Bengal’s massive first-innings score.

Jayant Goyat stood tall with an unbeaten 68, while Aditya Kumar managed a brief resistance with 26. However, Shahbaz Ahmed and Akash Deep ensured there was no late comeback, with Amarjeet Singh dismissed for a duck as Services were bowled out for 287 in 75 overs.

Earlier, Bengal had piled on a daunting 519 runs, powered by a magnificent double century from seasoned batter Sudip Chatterjee, who scored 209. The bowlers then maintained relentless pressure, delivering a total of 129 overs across both innings to claim all 20 wickets and secure a bonus-point victory.

The emphatic win took Bengal to 30 points from six matches, placing them firmly at the top of Group C and guaranteeing knockout qualification. The fight for the remaining spot remains open between Services, Haryana, and Uttarakhand.

Meanwhile, Jharkhand registered one of the biggest wins of the season, thrashing Uttar Pradesh by an innings and 301 runs in Lucknow to climb to second place in Group A.