Bengal bow to Punjab in U-23 final

KOLKATA: Bengal's last hope of silverware this season went up in smoke as their under-23 side lost to Punjab by four wickets in the final of the national one-day league-cum-knockout meet at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur on Tuesday.
The youngsters fought bravely to remain in the match till the very end, but Punjab achieved the target of 265 in 49 overs.
Bengal were reduced to 23 for 3 within the first nine overs after being asked to bat first. But Abhimanyu Easwaran, who was rushed to join the U-23 side for the summit clash from Himachal Pradesh - where he was representing the senior team in the Vijay Hazare Trophy meet - engineered a fine revival.
Easwaran steadied the ship with Agniv Pan, adding 31 runs for the fourth wicket, before combining with skipper Saurabh Singh to give Bengal a fighting total. Easwaran and Saurabh were involved in a 201-run fifth-wicket stand that helped Bengal put up 264 for 5 in 50 overs.
Easwaran carried his bat to remain unbeaten on 142 (137 balls, 13x4, 3x6). Saurabh, who played a match-wining knock a year ago in the final of the Cooch Behar Trophy (U-19), came good once again in a crunch situation to contribute a valuable 83 off 100 balls, which included eight boundaries.
Bengal pacers Amit Kuila and Tanmoy Pramanik claimed a wicket each to reduce Punjab to 31 for two early on. But opener Sanvir Singh and Ramandeep Singh took the match away from Bengal with a 141-run third-wicket stand. Kulia removed both batsmen on returning for his second spell within a span of three balls in the 38th over, but by then Punjab were well placed.
Skipper A Malhotra (38*) stayed till the end to ensure that Punjab didn't choke in the home stretch. Kulia was the most successful Bengal bowler, finishing with 3 for 57.
Brief scores: Bengal 264/5 in 50 ovs (A Easwaran 142*, Saurabh Singh 83; N Chaudhary 1-36). Punjab 268/6 in 49 ovs (Sanvir Singh 82, Ramandeep Singh 75, A Malhotra 38*; Amit Kuila 3-57). Punjab won by 6 wkts.