The Bengal Tigers, the reigning champions of the CCL, have commenced their title defense with an impressive performance, securing their second consecutive victory. This time, it was Punjab De Sher who faced the formidable batting prowess of Jammy. Despite initial expectations that the Punjab team would fiercely contest the match, they were unable to maintain their momentum after a strong first innings. Consequently, Jisshu Sengupta and his team triumphed with a comfortable margin of 8 wickets.

A good start for Punjab De Sher

In less than 24 hours after their initial group stage victory against the Chennai Rhinos in Bengaluru, the defending champions, Bengal Tigers, found themselves in Delhi to face Punjab De Sher. In the absence of Sonu Sood, singer-actor Harrdy Sandhu captained the Punjab team, winning the toss and opting to bat first. However, the innings did not commence well, as they lost opener Ninja and the subsequent batsman, Babbal, without scoring. Rahul and Mayur briefly halted the fall of wickets and contributed some runs, but it was ultimately the captain's responsibility to elevate the score, which he did with a swift 40 runs off just 17 balls. Punjab De Sher concluded their innings at 111 for 5, a total that at one stage appeared unlikely.

The Bengal Tigers appointed their powerful batsman Jammy to open the innings alongside Uday, who was well aware of the strategy – to gradually accumulate runs towards the target. Uday contributed a mere 7 runs before departing, which led to the arrival of captain Jisshu at the crease. Jammy continued to assert his dominance, skillfully maneuvering the ball across the field, until he was dismissed in the final over, having scored 65 runs off just 38 deliveries. Rahul, who succeeded Jammy, faced two deliveries and struck both for six, bringing the Bengal Tigers tantalizingly close to their target. The final score stood at 110 for 2, granting Harrdy Sandhu and his team a slender lead of just 1 run. At this juncture, the match was finely balanced, with the outcome uncertain.

Harrdy Sandhu gets no support from his team

In their second innings, Punjab De Sher faced a challenging start, losing three wickets within the first three overs. The situation could have been significantly worse had the Bengal Tigers capitalized on crucial catches that were unfortunately missed. Harrdy Sandhu made a commendable effort to provide his team with a competitive edge; however, he was severely unsupported by his teammates, with only Dakssh managing to score in double figures. Ultimately, the team could only accumulate 82 runs, with Sandhu contributing 42 of those. Consequently, the Tigers required just 83 runs to secure victory, a target that appeared easily achievable given their formidable batting lineup.

Rahul and Joy commenced their innings with a clear intention to swiftly achieve their objective. Within just 9 deliveries, Rahul accumulated 22 runs, but unfortunately, he edged a ball to the wicketkeeper and had to return to the dugout. Following Joy's dismissal, it became the responsibility of Jammy and Yusuf to maintain their composure and guide their team to a rapid conclusion, which they successfully accomplished with just over 2 overs to spare and 8 wickets remaining. The Bengal Tigers finished with a score of 84-2 and currently lead the points table, being the only team to have participated in 2 matches. They have secured 4 points, while the Karnataka Bulldozers follow with 2 points from their victory against the Telugu Warriors.

Up next is the match between the Mumbai Heroes and the Bhojpuri Dabanggs. All the matches are being broadcast on Sony Sports Ten 3 and live-streamed on Disney+ Hotstar.

Read Also: CCL 2025 Week 2: Hyderabad Gears Up to Host Celebrity Cricket League

Get the latest Bollywood entertainment news, trending celebrity news, latest celebrity news, new movie reviews, latest entertainment news, latest Bollywood news, and Bollywood celebrity fashion & style updates!