Bengal cricket team
Bengal cricket team: competitions
Bengal cricket team: First-Class Cricket Competitions
Logo Tournament Wins Years
Ranji Trophy
2
1938–39, 1989–90
Bengal cricket team: Limited Overs Cricket Competitions
Logo Tournament Wins Years
Vijay Hazare Trophy
1
Bengal cricket team: Twenty20 Cricket Competitions
Logo Tournament Wins Years
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy
1
Bengal cricket team: Current Squad
Bengal cricket team: Indian domestic cricket team
The history of the Bengal team began in 1908. The club represents the Indian state of West Bengal, with a population of 91 million people. This is the strongest East Indian cricket team. For 113 years, the Bengal cricket team won the Ranji Trophy first-class championship twice, became a champion in the Vijay Hazare Trophy once, and won the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy once in the short matches format. The club plays its home matches at the Eden Gardens stadium, with a capacity of 80,000 spectators. It is the oldest (1864) and the 2nd largest stadium in India. Meet the successful team in our article.
Bengal cricket team – team success
In 1908, a cricket club called the Bengal cricket team was formed in the state capital of West Bengal in the city of Kolkata. At that time, there were no serious cricket championships in India because the team simply played at the amateur level in the first years.
Finally, in 1928, the Cricket Association of Bengal appeared in the state – the governing body that was and is responsible for organizing cricket at the local level. Today, the Association is a full member of the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
The first first-class championship in the country started in 1934. These were competitions in which one match was held for several days. The Bengal cricket team managed to join the championship in 1935. In its debut championship, the club was able to reach the semi-finals of the tournament.
In 1937, the club reached the final draw for the first time. However, in the decisive match, the Bengal team lost to the Saurashtra cricket team. It turned out to correct the situation in the 1939 season:
- In the 1st round of the Eastern Zone, the players were stronger than the Bihar team;
- In the 2nd round, we managed to survive the match against Madhya Pradesh club;
- In the semi-finals, the team easily passed the Tami Nadu cricket team;
- And finally, in the final round, the Bengal team won against Southern Punjab.
After the 1st championship title, the team began to play better cricket. Official statistics confirm this. The club reached the final round 9 times in the period from 1939 to 1990! Admittedly, this is not ideal, but a very good team result.
Of the nine finals, only twice the club won the tournament. The second final success came in 1990. Then the team was opposed by the Delhi club. By the way, since 1960, a one-day tournament was held in India between the real winner of the Ranji Trophy championship and the best players of the season (the national team was formed). Consequently, the Bengal cricket team participated in this championship in 1991. Unfortunately, it did not manage to take another championship title.
Bengal cricket team – playing at other tournaments
In 1993, another professional cricket tournament was formed in the country called the Ranji One Day Trophy. These were games of the one-day match format. The championship did not hold any test matches until 2002. Therefore, the best cricket team from each group (there were 5) was recognized as the championship winners.
It is worth noting that the Bengal cricket team played in the Eastern Zone and was recognized as the best six times in 9 years! In 2002, the tournament was renamed the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The final drawings appeared. Players from the Bengal club were able to win the championship in the 2012 season. Then, in the decisive match, the team beat the Mumbai cricket team. In addition, for the entire period of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the team took 2nd place four more times.
In 2006, the 3rd national cricket championship called Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy appeared in India. Here Bengal cricket team was able to reach the final and win it in 2011:
- The team entered the playoff round from the 1st place of the Eastern Zone;
- In the preliminary quarter-final, the club won against the Vidarbha cricket team;
- Then, in the 1/4 final, the players were stronger than the Maharashtra cricket team;
- In the semi-final, the team beat the Tamil Nadu cricket team;
- In the final match, the Bengal team won against the Madhya Pradesh cricket team.
To date, the Indian team has four championship titles in total. Such famous cricketers as Mohammed Shami, Wriddhiman Saha, Sourav Ganguly and Deep Dasgupta played for the club.
