Ranji Trophy 2021-22, Semi-Final 1, Bengal vs Madhya Pradesh: Probable XIs, Match Prediction, Pitch Report, Weather Forecast and Live Streaming Details

Abhimanyu Easwaran leads Bengal in the Ranji Trophy (Image Courtesy: Telegraph India)

Bengal will lock horns against Madhya Pradesh in the first semi-final of the Ranji Trophy 2021-22, starting June 14. The KSCA Cricket Ground in Alur will host this exciting contest.

Bengal topped the Elite Group B with three wins in three games to qualify for the knockout stages of the competition. They faced Jharkhand in their quarter-final clash and the match ended in a draw but Bengal qualified for the semi-finals, thanks to a first-innings lead.

After being asked to bat first, they batted for 218.4 overs and posted a mammoth 773 on the board before declaring their innings. The bowlers then bowled brilliantly and knocked over Jharkhand for 298 to secure a massive first-innings lead of 475. They batted for the rest of the game as it ended in a draw. Bengal will look to repeat their performance against Madhya Pradesh in their semi-final clash.

Madhya Pradesh won two games out of a total of three and topped Elite Group A. They defeated Punjab comprehensively in the fourth quarter-final to book a berth in the semi-finals of the Ranji Trophy 2021-22.

Punjab were bundled out on 219 in the first innings and Madhya Pradesh secured a crucial lead of 178 after they finished their innings on 397. The bowlers then stepped up as they knocked over Punjab for 203 runs. With only 26 to chase, the Madhya Pradesh’s openers chased it down without much fuss. They will look to keep the winning momentum going in the semi-finals.

Bengal vs Madhya Pradesh Match Details:

Match: Bengal vs Madhya Pradesh, 1st Semi-Final, Ranji Trophy, 2021-22

Date and Time: June 14, Tuesday – June 18, Saturday, 2022, 09:30 AM IST

Venue: KSCA Cricket Ground, Alur

Bengal vs Madhya Pradesh Pitch Report

The pitch at the KSCA Cricket Ground assists the spinners. The ball tends to grip off the surface and the spinners will enjoy bowling on this track. The batters will have to be patient while batting on this surface. Once set, they can start playing their strokes freely.

Bengal vs Madhya Pradesh Weather Forecast

The temperature in Alur on the opening day of the game is expected to hover between 19 to 28 degrees Celsius. There is a chance of rain as there will be cloud covers throughout the course of the game. Let’s hope the rain stays away and we get a full game.

Bengal vs Madhya Pradesh Probable XIs

Bengal

Bengal created a world record as their first nine batters scored fifties, with Sudip Gharami and Anustup Majumdar scoring 186 and 117 respectively. Their batters batted for most of the game and will look to carry forward their rich form in the semi-finals.

Probable XI

Abhimanyu Easwaran (c), Abhishek Raman, Abishek Porel (wk), Akash Deep, Anustup Majumdar, Ishan Porel, Manoj Tiwary, Mukesh Kumar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Sudip Kumar Gharami, Sayan Mondal

Madhya Pradesh

It was a good all-round performance from Madhya Pradesh as it helped them secure a win against Punjab in their quarter-final clash. Shubham Sharma scored a century before Kumar Kartikeya picked up six wickets in the second innings to set up a victory for them.

Probable XI

Aditya Shrivastava (c), Akshat Raghuwanshi, Anubhav Agarwal, Rajat Patidar, Gaurav Yadav, Himanshu Mantri (wk), Puneet Datey, Saransh Jain, Shubham S Sharma, Yash Dubey, Kumar Kartikeya

Bengal vs Madhya Pradesh Match Prediction

Bengal’s quarter-final clash against Jharkhand ended in a draw as their batters dominated the game. Madhya Pradesh defeated Punjab in a high-octane contest to enter the semi-finals. Both sides have settled units and expect another cracking contest.

Bengal have a good balance in their side and expect them to beat Madhya Pradesh in the first semi-final.

Prediction: Bengal to win this encounter.