On match day five of Ranji Trophy 2022-23, Bengal took on Baroda to continue their unbeaten run this season. Manoj Tiwary-led Bengal looked like a better side on paper as the pace trio of Mukesh Kumar, Ishan Porel and Akashdeep was back for Bengal. Baroda captain Vinshu Solanki won the toss and chose to bat in Kalyani where the pitch had a tad greenish layer on the top.
Bengal started very well as Mukesh Kumar got an early wicket of Pratyush Kumar. Abishek Porel accepted the catch down the line to start the game on a great note. But, post that, things did not go according to plan for Bengal.
Bengal's Mukesh Kumar in action against Baroda.
Opener Jyotsnil Singh and Priyanshu Moliya put up a 90-run partnership for the second wicket to ensure the visiting team has the last laugh at the end of the first inning. At lunch, Baroda were 83/1 with both the batters looking strong. For Bengal, Sayan Shekhar Mondal bowled a more prolonged spell while Mukesh was tight on line and length. But, Akashdeep leaked some runs at the end of the session to ruin it for them.
Post lunch it was all about Ishan Porel and Mukesh Kumar for Bengal. Sudip Gharami dropped Jyotsnil Singh on 39 from Ishan Porel. However, Abhishek Das and Abishek Porel took two stunning catches to redeem Bengal. Both times, Mukesh Kumar was the bowler to enforce the edges. Before that Priyanshu Moliya perished from an outside off-stump delivery from Akashdeep after completing his fifty.
Bengal finished the second session with a high with three wickets from pacers. However, opener Jyotsnil Singh was still there guiding his team. Soon after tea, he completed his fifty as well.
Jyotsnil Singh scored a fifty for Baroda in the first inning against Bengal at BCA, Kalyani Priyanshu Moliya scored a fifty in the first inning against Bengal at BCA, Kalyani.
Post tea Akashdeep ran through the Baroda lower middle order. The medium pacer first edged Ninad Rathva for a caught behind to Abishek Porel and then two balls later cleaned bowled Mitesh Patel in the same over.
But, Baroda had another fight left in them. Jyotsnil and Mahesh Pithiya put up 51 runs partnership for the seventh wicket to frustrate the Bengal bowlers. Late in the day Akashdeep was finally able to put an end to Jyotsnil's inning via LBW. The opener's inning lasted 217 balls as he scored a fighting 85 for his team in the Ranji Trophy 2022-23.
Baroda finished the day at 222/7 with Mahesh Pithiya and Soyeb Soparia at the crease.
Bengal Pro T20 League 2025: Where can you watch? What is new this season? Every detail you should know
From streaming details to what is new this season in the Bengal Pro T20 League 2025, you will have all your questions regarding the second season of the Bengal Pro T20 League answered.
Bengal Pro T20 League 2025 is all set to start from 11 June 2025, with an iconic inaugural event at the Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata.
Post the opening act by Sunidhi Chauhan and a few other surprising artists, Sobisco Smashers Malda and Murshidabad Kings, the finalists of the men's edition last season, will take on each other for the opening match of the season at 7 pm IST.
From 12th June till the league stage ends on 24th June, Eden Gardens will host two matches every day; one from 1 pm IST and another from 7 pm IST.
The women's edition will kick off from 12 June 2025, at the J.U. Second Campus Ground in Salt Lake, with a double header every day till the group stage. Every women's match will start from 9 am IST and 1.30 pm IST.
This season, the whole Bengal Men's Pro T20 League 2025 will have the Decision Review System (DRS) in full force. Only the Women's final at Eden Gardens will have the DRS in action.
The final will be played on 28th June at the Eden Gardens, with the Women's final taking place from 1:30 pm IST, while the Men's final will start at 7 pm IST.
The Men's Bengal Pro T20 League 2025 will start from 11 June 2025, while the Women's Bengal Pro T20 League 2025 will kick off from 12 June 2025.
Which venue will host the Bengal Pro T20 League 2025?
All the men's matches will be played at Eden Gardens with full DRS in action. Meanwhile, the Women's matches will be played at J.U. Second Campus Ground. The final of the men's and women's editions will be played at the Eden Gardens.
When is the final of the Bengal Pro T20 League 2025?
The Bengal Pro T20 League 2025 final will be played on 28th June 2025 at the Eden Gardens. The women's final will start at 1.30 pm IST, while the men's final will start at 7 pm IST.
Where can I watch the Bengal Pro T20 League 2025?
The fans can watch the Bengal Pro T20 League and Bengal Women's Pro T20 League 2025 LIVE on Fancode with a paid subscription. Star Sports 3 will broadcast every match LIVE on Indian television.
Will there be DRS in the Bengal Pro T20 League 2025?
DRS will be in full action during the men's matches at Eden Gardens. The women's final at the Eden Gardens will have DRS in action.
Who will perform at the Bengal Pro T20 League's opening ceremony?
Indian music star Sunidhi Chauhan will perform at the Bengal Pro T20 League's opening ceremony at the Eden Gardens. The opening ceremony will start at 5 pm IST.
Outstation Players in Bengal Pro T20 League: Why It’s Unethical & Illegal
In the latest episode of "Cricket Talks Without Fancy Edits", uncover the controversy surrounding the Bengal Pro T20 League! In this video, we dive into why including outstation players as Bengal players is both unethical and illegal.
The Bengal Pro T20 League, a premier domestic cricket competition in West Bengal, is meant to be a stage for local talent to shine. Launched to nurture and showcase Bengal’s cricketers, the league has been a source of pride for the state’s cricket fans.
However, the recently concluded Season 2 draft has sparked a firestorm of controversy. Reports have surfaced that outstation players—those not originally from West Bengal—are being registered as Bengal players, allegedly through falsified documentation.
This practice has raised serious ethical and legal questions, with fans and critics alike accusing the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) and franchise teams of undermining the spirit of the league. Today, we dive into why this is not just unfair but potentially illegal, and what it means for the future of Bengal cricket.
India U19 squad for England tour: Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Ayush Mhatre and Bengal's Yudhajit Guha in the squad
IPL stars Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Ayush Mahtre have been named in the India U19 squad for the upcoming England tour, along with Bengal pacer Yudhajit Guha. Mahtre has been named the captain of the side.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the India U19 (men's) squad for the upcoming England tour, scheduled from June 24 to July 23, 2025.
This tour will have a 50-over warm-up match, followed by a five-match Youth One-Day series andtwo Multi-Day matches against England U19.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has already made his name as the youngest ever centurion in IPL history at just 14 years of age, has been picked for the tour. Another IPL star, Ayush Mahtre, who has impressed with his striking abilities for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2025, has been made the captain of the squad.
Abhigyan Kundu will be Mahtre's deputy for the whole tour.
Bengal pacer Yudhajit Guha has been named in the squad as well. Guha had earlier featured for the India U19 team in the U-19 Asia Cup as well.
Outsiders loved, Bengal talents ignored in Bengal Pro T20 League 2025
In the recently concluded Bengal Pro T20 League 2025 drafting, it was seen how players who are from other states were taken in franchise teams, depriving homegrown Bengal talents. Sportz Point explains the situation with examples and proof.
In recent years and decades, Bengal cricket has frequently witnessed the emergence of players from outside the region, who quickly become integral to Bengal's cricket scene. This trend was evident during the recently concluded draft for the Men's Bengal Pro T20 League 2025.
It is important to clarify that we are not referring to outstation players, like Rohan Gavaskar and Arun Lal, who came to Bengal from other states and made it their home for cricket.
Instead, we are talking about cricketers from outside West Bengal who are arriving here and illegally obtaining Aadhaar cards and other documents with false addresses.
Fake addresses, corruption and outsiders in Bengal cricket
These players are rapidly rising through the ranks, some based on merit while others without any noteworthy performances, and they are moving on to represent the state at various levels. Furthermore, those who are advancing are bringing more players from their home states to Bengal and creating paths for them.
This situation points to a larger conspiracy involving club officials who are allegedly accepting bribes. Some of these officials are supposedly encouraging players to participate without payment in exchange for assisting them in gaining entry into Bengal under-age teams or even the Bengal Pro T20 League squads.
It's worth noting that platforms like the Bengal Pro T20 League provide players with exposure to IPL scouts and teams, which can significantly boost their careers. Players like Sai Sudharasan, Priyansh Arya, Digvesh Rathi, Vipraj Nigam, and Ashwani Kumar have all emerged from their respective state T20 leagues.
Consequently, these outstation players have come to believe that if they cannot succeed in their own state, they can come to Bengal, create illegal documents, collaborate with certain club officials, and gain access to platforms like the Bengal Pro T20 League.
This situation is depriving talented young cricketers from Bengal, who have been performing well at the club level, of opportunities.
In a recent video, presented in Bengali, Sportz Point addressed these issues, which was well received within the Bengal cricket community. We have translated this information into English to ensure the message reaches a wider audience across the nation.
Siddharth Patidar - supposed to play in both MPT20 League and Bengal Pro T20 League
One such instance is Siddharth Patidar, a player from Madhya Pradesh who has represented MP in the past and participated in the MP T20 League since 2022. He is now claimed to be a local player in Bengal.
Patidar is currently a member of the Jabalpur Royal Lions and will be playing under Saransh Jain in the tournament.
This Instagram post clearly suggest that Patidar will be playing in MP T20 League
How can a player local to the MP T20 League also be considered a local player in West Bengal? This suggests he was provided with illegal documentation to verify his status as a Bengal domestic player.
The MP T20 League is set to commence on June 12, and it will be interesting to see how Patidar competes in two different state leagues, claiming residency in both Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal.
Sandeep Tomar - played in UP T20 League, but has documents of West Bengal
Another player, Sandeep Tomar, known to be from Uttar Pradesh, also appears to possess Bengal documents in his name. Sandeep has previously participated in the UP T20 League as a local player, and last season, he played in the Bengal Pro T20 League as a local player.
This Instagram post by UP T20 League clearly shows Sandeep Tomar in action in that tournament in 2023.
This raises the implication that Sandeep, too, has illegally registered as a Bengal player with the Cricket Association of Bengal.
Not only these two players, but reports indicate that multiple athletes are arriving from various states and illegitimately registering as Bengal players with forged documents. Clearly, such actions cannot occur without the support of officials.
C.A.B.'s efforts to stop this
Recently, the Cricket Association of Bengal announced that from the next season, all players will be required to submit bank documents that are more than three years old, along with their parents' documents, before registering. However, the pressing question remains: If they can not even stop a daylight robbery, will they be able to stop outstation players' entry? Only time will tell.
As a result, many deserving players from Bengal, who have been topping charts in runs, wickets, and trophy wins, have been deprived of the opportunities they rightfully deserve.
Numerous players expressed feelings of frustration, sadness, and hopelessness after the events that unfolded during the draft for the Men's Bengal Pro T20 League.
Bengal Pro T20 League 2025: 8 franchises choose squads among 802 players; here are the full squads
The Bengal Pro T20 League Season 2 kicked off its preparations with a grand men’s draft ceremony on Monday, where a staggering 802 cricketers were selected by eight franchises at a city hotel on Monday.
The Bengal Pro T20 League Season 2 kicked off its preparations with a grand men’s draft ceremony on Monday, where a staggering 802 cricketers were selected by eight franchises at a city hotel on Monday.
8 franchises, led by their retained players and coaches along with their owners, selected their squads for the upcoming season.
CAB Office bearers led by President Snehasish Ganguly, Vice President Amalendu Biswas, Secretary Naresh Ojha, Treasurer Prabir Chakrabarty, Joint Secretary Debabrata Das along with India cricket legend Sourav Ganguly, women’s cricket icon Jhulan Goswami were present for the draft.
"I hope you will all witness an exciting draft process in the next few hours. I am sure we will have an even more successful Bengal Pro T20 League season this time," Sourav Ganguly said during the event.
A+ category players will get INR 4,75,000, A grade players will get INR 3,75,000, while B and C category players will receive INR 1,50,000. D category players will get INR 1,50,000.
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