Face2News/Chandigarh,

UT boys lost to Bengal by three runs in a thrilling pre quarterfinal match of Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament being played at Bengaluru on Monday. Experienced national cap Mohd Shammi overshadowed the all round performances of Raj Angad Bawa and Jagjit Sandhu as Chandigarh was restricted to 156/9 against the modest challenge of 159/9.

Earlier, Chandigarh won the toss and decided to field first. Manan Vohra's decision proved in the team's favour when Sandhu scalped top order - Abhishek Porel (8), Skipper Sudip Kumar (0) and Habib Gandhi (10) with 21 runs on the board. Karan Lal and Bijoy Chatterjee compensated the loss with a 40-run partnership in just 21 balls. Bawa controlled Chatterjee (28 runs in 12 balls) leaving the side at 61/4. Amrit Lubana dismissed Shahbaz (7) in the very next over and sent back half the team at 70 .

Later, Bawa (2/27) in the same spell bowled out the dangerous looking top scorer Karan Lal (33) and brought relief to the camp with 91/6. At the team score of 113, Nikhil Sharma consumed Agniv Pan (6) followed by Kanishq who became the fourth victim of Sandhu (4/21) as Bengal's struggle continued at 114/8. 

Shammi took charge along with Pradipta Pramanik to form a 24 run partnership. Bhagminder dismissed Pramanik (30) but an unbeaten quickfire from Shammi (32 runs off 17 balls) steered the team to a respectable total of 159/9.

In reply, opener Arsalan Khan (0) while playing a brilliant shot caught by Habib Gandhi off Shammi's pace. Soon Shivam Bhambri (14) became Sanyam Ghosh's first victim with 20/2 on the board. Ghosh also accounted for Lubana (14) in the same spell. Later with the dismissal of skipper Manan Vohra (23), UT boys turned on backfoot.

Thereafter, Pradeep Yadav and Raj Angad Bawa faced the world class bowling attack to paired for 45 runs partnership in 30 balls and took the score to 101 runs. Kanishk separated the duo by dismissing Pradeep (27). Bawa, who was playing at 32 runs off 20 balls till now, was caught by Ghosh off his own bowling as Bengal bounced back in the game leaving the opposition at 129/6. Kanishk made Lather (6) his second victim. Sandhu raised hopes for UT boys by hitting 12 runs off Shammi in the 19th over, but after his run out, Nikhil Sharma (22) became the fourth victim of Ghosh (4/30). The last ball boundary from Nishunk Birla couldn’t help the team as Chandigarh was restricted at 156/9.