Kerala suffered a heavy 287-run defeat against Bengal in their Elite Group C Ranji Trophy match on October 29, 2026, at the Mangalapuram KCA Cricket Ground in Thiruvananthapuram, after being bowled out for 120 in their second innings while chasing a target of 408 runs.
Left-arm spinner Pradipta Pramanik claimed a total of 10 wickets in the match to seal Kerala’s first defeat of the season in the Elite Group C fixtures. Chasing an imposing target of 408 runs set by Bengal, the hosts collapsed during the opening session of the final day, folding for just 120 runs in 38.4 overs.
Batting Failures Lead to Kerala Defeat Against Bengal
Kerala’s struggles began during the opening innings when the team was dismissed for 141 runs in reply to Bengal’s 350. Resuming the second day at 101 for six, Kerala lost its remaining four wickets quickly as Pramanik and Mohammed Shami cut through the lineup. Shahbaz Ahmed scored 121 runs from 203 deliveries in Bengal’s first innings, including eight fours and four sixes, and shared a 103-run seventh-wicket partnership with Sumanta Gupta, who contributed 49 runs before being dismissed by Jalaj Saxena just before lunch. Shahbaz later added 59 runs alongside Pramanik, while Shami chipped in with 17 runs. Aditya Sarwate took four wickets for Kerala, N.P. Basil claimed three, M.D. Nidheesh picked up two, and Saxena secured one.
Day 2 Stumps KERALA: 101-6 (35.0)BENGAL: 350 (102.2)Ranji Trophy Elite Group C Match KCA Cricket Ground, Mangalapuram, Thiruvananthapuram#RanjiTrophy #KERvBEN #Kerala #Bengal #Cricket pic.twitter.com/9STM06ikJZ
Bengal chose to bat again and added 198 runs in their second innings, propelled by a 47-run knock from Abhimanyu Easwaran. Sudeep Chatterjee contributed 34 runs, and Shami added 26.
Jalaj Saxena delivered a standout bowling performance in Bengal’s second innings by claiming five wickets, backed by Aditya Sarwate with three and N.P. Basil with two. The run chase proved disastrous as Pramanik removed openers Abhishek J. Nair and Abhishek P. Nair for ducks within the early overs.
Pradipta Pramanik and Mohammed Shami Take Decisive Wickets
Entering the final day at 53 for four, Kerala faced an uphill battle needing 355 more runs with only six wickets intact. Pramanik had captain Vishnu Vinod caught by Abhimanyu Easwaran for 19 runs as the collapse resumed immediately on the final day. Salman Nisar fell soon after, and Shami bowled Sarwate without scoring. Vaisakh Chandran added three runs before being bowled by Shami.
Number-ten batsman M.D. Nidheesh top-scored with 33 runs from 28 deliveries, which included dispatching Shami for three boundaries in a single over, while Mohammed Azharuddeen contributed 26 runs to push the total past the 100-run mark. Shahbaz Ahmed ultimately ended the resistance by removing both Azharuddeen and Nidheesh.
| Innings | Bengal Score | Kerala Score |
|---|---|---|
| First Innings | 350 | 141 |
| Second Innings | 198 | 120 |
Group Standings and Upcoming Fixtures in Elite Group C
Bengal secured their third win of the season, moving to 18 points and claiming the top position in Elite Group C. Kerala sits in third place with 8 points from three matches, following an earlier draw against Jharkhand and an innings victory against Odisha. Shahbaz Ahmed received the Man of the Match honor for his first-innings century and four wickets across the game. Kerala faces Gujarat starting November 2.
Day 3 StumpsKerala require 355 runs to win with 6 wickets remainingBengal 350 (102.2), 198 (46.0)Kerala 141 (51.3), 53-4 (20.0)#RanjiTrophy #KERvBEN #Kerala #Bengal #Cricket pic.twitter.com/pAY1VP2ZIK
More on Ranji Trophy
Top Class! Another five wicket haul for Jalaj Saxena Jalaj Saxena18-1-70-5#RanjiTrophy #KERvBEN #Kerala #Bengal #Cricket #JalajSaxena pic.twitter.com/Pc9mlmspkE