Ranji Trophy 2025-26: Discarded but not dejected! Mohammed Shami’s career-best 8-for lights up semi-final vs J&K

Mohammed Shami. (Photo Source: Jio Hotstar)

Mohammed Shami treated cricket enthusiasts with a spectacular display of fast bowling in the second semi-final in the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 at the Bengal Cricket Academy Ground in Kalyani. While the conditions were helpful for seamers, it is important to make the best use of them. Shami, who has played all across the globe during his time with Team India, knows exactly how to exploit favourable conditions, and he turned out to be the wrecker-in-chief against the Jammu and Kashmir batters.

On Day 2, after Bengal were bowled out for 328 in the first innings, Shami made the new ball talk as he sent both Jammu and Kashmir openers back to the hut in his first spell. He also broke the glorious 147-run partnership between Paras Dogra and Abdul Samad by getting the latter out in the fag end of the day.

On Day 3, Shami started with three wickets already in his kitty. The Bengal seamer got a breakthrough in the sixth ball he bowled on Tuesday. A few overs later, Shami dismissed the other overnight batter and completed a five-for. However, like top bowlers, he didn’t just settle for a five-for and went on to make a mile of an inch.

In the following over, he got the wicket of Vanshaj Sharma as the tourists were on the ropes. They needed another 97 runs to equal Bengal’s first innings score, but had only two wickets left. This is when Auqib Nabi Dar and Yudhvir Singh Charakforged a fantastic rearguard effort, amassing a 64-run partnership off 75 balls.

Bengal captain gave his premier pacer a breather and tried to break the partnership with the other bowlers at his disposal. However, no one was able to thwart the resilience shown by the two Jammu and Kashmir seamers. Shami eventually returned to the attack and got the better of Yudhvir with a peach of a delivery.

A few overs later, the 35-year-old castled Nabi to finish with his best first-class figures of 8/90 in 22.1 overs. He was instrumental in helping Bengal take a 26-run lead. The national selectors must have taken note of this lion-hearted performance from the veteran seamer, and it would be surprising if this doesn’t lead him back into the Indian setup.

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