Weeks after his seven-wicket match haul against Services, veteran Indian cricketer Mohammed Shami showcased his all-round value with a blazing half-century in the quarterfinal of the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2024/25 against Andhra Pradesh at the Bengal Cricket Academy Ground in Kalyani on Monday.
Mohammed Shami scored 32-ball fifty in Ranji Trophy quarters
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Shami followed Sudip Kumar Gharami’s brilliant 299 with a rapid 32-ball fifty as Bengal piled on a massive first-innings total of 629.
The senior India pacer walked in after Akash Deep’s dismissal in the 192nd over on Day 4 and got off the mark with a boundary off just his second delivery. Shami then went on the offensive, taking apart Shaik Rasheed and Tripurana Vijay with a flurry of strokes, smashing seven fours in the next 10 balls, including four in succession. He brought up his half-century with a six off Saurabh Kumar before being dismissed for 53 off 33 balls.
Notably, the knock came under the watchful eyes of former India fast bowler RP Singh, a current member of the BCCI’s selection committee. The two were also spotted having a brief chat on the field at the end of the day’s play.
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Notably, the knock came under the watchful eyes of former India fast bowler RP Singh, a current member of the BCCI’s selection committee. The two were also spotted having a brief chat on the field at the end of the day’s play.
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This was Shami’s third half-century in red-ball cricket, with his highest score remaining an unbeaten 56 off 70 balls against England at Lord’s in 2021. His other fifty also came against England, seven years earlier at Trent Bridge.
With India set to play their next Test match in the second half of the year, Shami has been making a strong case for a return to the national side. He last featured for India in Tests in 2023, during the World Test Championship final against Australia.
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Earlier in the match, Bengal captain Abhimanyu Easwaran opted to bowl first after winning the toss. Riding on an 83-run knock from Ricky Bhui, Andhra Pradesh were bowled out for 295, with Mukesh Kumar starring with a five-wicket haul.
Gharami then produced the innings of his life but fell agonisingly short of a historic triple century. Displaying rock-solid defence and tireless concentration, the 26-year-old opener compiled a monumental 299 off 596 deliveries in a marathon stay that lasted 930 minutes (15 and a half hours) across three days. His vigil ended when a delivery kept alarmingly low and crashed into his off stump.
Gharami became the first Indian and only the third batter in first-class history to be dismissed for exactly 299, joining Martin Crowe and Mike Powell on an unwanted list.
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.
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Home/Cricket/Mohammed Shami turns all-rounder, makes Test case with blazing Ranji quarter-final fifty under BCCI selector’s watch
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