Hamzad's 82* Wins It, But Suraj Mandal's 4/25 and Rahul Ghosh's 51 Made It a Match
CC beat Deadly Bulls by 5 wickets — but the Bulls fought with genuine heart before Hamzad's masterclass settled it
It was the kind of cricket match that reminds you why you love this game. Calcutta Challengers won by five wickets, but Deadly Bulls pushed them every inch of the way — with the opposition's gun bowler Suraj Mandal dismantling CC's chase before Hamzad's extraordinary 82* ultimately settled the contest. Neither side gave an inch, and both deserve their flowers.
Deadly Bulls Fight Back: From 55/4 to a Competitive 141
CC's bowlers drew blood early. SURAJ PRAHLADKA struck twice in the powerplay — Aman Raj (18) and Suraj Mandal (0) were the first to go — and captain Debangshu removed Hemanshu Singh (12) and Atanu (27) with his trademark accuracy. At 55/4, the Bulls were in serious trouble, and many sides would have crumbled from there. Deadly Bulls did not.
Atanu had already given the innings backbone with 27 off 22 before Debangshu dismissed him. But it was Rahul Ghosh who turned the match. Arriving with the Bulls in a hole, he counter-attacked without hesitation — 51 off just 23 deliveries, with six sixes and two fours at a strike rate of 221.74. He and the remaining batters added 86 runs for the last three wickets, wrestling the score from 55/4 all the way to 141/6. Saurav Singh's unbeaten 19 off 8 at the death (two sixes, SR 237.50) gave the total a sting in its tail. The Bulls had every right to fancy their chances.
Rahul Ghosh didn’t just bat — he rescued an innings. Six sixes from 55/4 is the kind of knock that wins matches. Tonight it wasn’t enough — but it wasn’t for lack of trying.
Suraj Mandal Tears CC's Chase Apart: 4/25 in 3 Overs
Set 142, CC's chase looked comfortable early — until Suraj Mandal of Deadly Bulls produced one of the finest bowling spells of the local season. Accurate, sharp and relentlessly consistent, he took four wickets for just 25 runs in 3 overs. Miraj (6), Ashutosh Maurya (7), Usman Gazi (10) and Biswajeet Dey (4) all walked back to the pavilion with Mandal's name against theirs. Vishal Jaiswal fell to captain Hemanshu Singh for 12, and suddenly CC were 112/5. The Bulls could smell it. With five down and 30 still needed, the momentum had swung completely — and the Deadly Bulls had earned every moment of it.
Hamzad: When One Player Changes Everything
Then Hamzad happened. Having batted through the collapse with quiet authority, he now changed gears entirely. 82 not out off 39 balls — ten sixes, two fours, a strike rate of 210.26. It wasn't blind hitting; it was calculated, commanding and utterly ruthless. Every over he was in, the run rate tumbled. The Bulls' bowling — which had looked so threatening moments earlier — had no answer. Captain Debangshu's earlier miserly bowling spell had set the platform; now Hamzad converted it into victory.
Nasir Uddin Baidya (19* off 8) provided the ideal finish — calm, composed, and with exactly the balls-in-hand CC needed. The unbroken stand between the two saw CC home with one ball to spare.
Deadly Bulls — Batting (141/6 in 13.0 Ov)
| Batsman | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aman Raj | 18 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 180.00 |
| Suraj Mandal | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Atanu | 27 | 22 | 1 | 2 | 122.73 |
| Mdsahil | 9 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 128.57 |
| Hemanshu Singh (c) | 12 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 200.00 |
| ⭐ Rahul Ghosh | 51 | 23 | 2 | 6 | 221.74 |
| Saurav Singh (not out) | 19 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 237.50 |
| Saikat Chatterjee wk (not out) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Extras (wd 3, nb 1) | 4 | ||||
| Total: 13.0 Ov, 6 Wkts | 141 (CRR 10.85) | ||||
Calcutta Challengers — Batting (142/5 in 12.5 Ov)
| Batsman | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miraj | 6 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 66.67 |
| Ashutosh Maurya | 7 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 87.50 |
| Usman Gazi | 10 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 142.86 |
| Biswajeet Dey | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 200.00 |
| Vishal Jaiswal | 12 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 200.00 |
| 🏆 Hamzad (not out) | 82 | 39 | 2 | 10 | 210.26 |
| ⭐ Nasir Uddin Baidya (not out) | 19 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 237.50 |
| Extras (nb 2) | 2 | ||||
| Total: 12.5 Ov, 5 Wkts | 142 (CRR 11.06) | ||||
Bowling — Calcutta Challengers
| Bowler | O | R | W | Eco |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🏆 SURAJ PRAHLADKA — Best Bowler | 3 | 28 | 3 | 9.33 |
| Debangshu (c) | 3 | 14 | 2 | 4.67 |
| P D | 3 | 42 | 1 | 14.00 |
| Vishal Jaiswal | 2 | 24 | 0 | 12.00 |
| Nasir Uddin Baidya | 2 | 33 | 0 | 16.50 |
| Aman Raj | 1 | 14 | 0 | 14.00 |
Bowling — Deadly Bulls
| Bowler | O | R | W | Eco |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ⭐ Suraj Mandal — 4 Wkts | 3 | 25 | 4 | 8.33 |
| Hemanshu Singh (c) | 1.5 | 24 | 1 | 13.09 |
| Saurav Singh | 3 | 21 | 0 | 7.00 |
| Atanu | 2 | 24 | 0 | 12.00 |
| Piklu | 2 | 34 | 0 | 17.00 |
| Aman Raj | 1 | 14 | 0 | 14.00 |
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