Scintillating Shahbaz helps Tapan win Bengal T20 Challenge title

Kolkata, Dec 10 : Skipper Shahbaz Ahamed put up an all-round masterclass to guide Tapan Memorial to Bengal T20 Challenge title, beating Mohun Bagan by 33 runs in the final at Eden Gardens here on Wednesday.
Tapan skipper scored 54 and picked up five wickets for just 10 runs in his quota of four overs to help Tapan propel his team to the third win against Bagan in the tournament. And the sweetest of those came in the final.
Earlier, Mohun Bagan won the toss and elected to bowl. Tapan Memorial got off to a shaky start losing four wickets for 40 runs as Bagan pacer Akash Deep and experienced spinner Rajkumar Pal bagged two wickets apiece.
Skipper Shahbaz Ahamed along with in-form batter Kaif Ahamad came to Tapan’s rescue as they arrested the slide by stitching a 78-run partnership. Shahbaz smashed a fluent 41-ball 54 (2x4s, 4x6s) before being caught by Akash off Anurag Tiwary while Kaif stayed unbeaten on 39, as the team scored 145 for six wickets in 20 overs.
While defending Tapan spinners made life difficult for Bagan batsmen and bundled them out for 112 in 18 overs, to emerge victorious.
Bagan skipper Anustup Majumdar who was the highest scorer of the tournament with 370 runs also put up a good show with the willow, scoring a 32-ball 46.