Bengal Tigers defeated Kerala Strikers by 5 wickets in the Semi Final 1 of the Celebrity Cricket League 2026 on January 31.
In a thrilling semi-final encounter, Bengal Tigers chased down 178 runs with 2 balls to spare. Rahul Mazumder played a sensational cameo of 40 runs off just 11 balls. As a result, his 6 sixes in the final overs sealed Bengal Tigers’ spot in the CCL 2026 final.
Kerala Strikers vs Bengal Tigers Semi Final 1 Match Summary
| Team | Innings | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Kerala Strikers | 177/6 (20 overs) | Lost |
| Bengal Tigers | 178/5 (19.4 overs) | Won by 5 wickets |
Kerala Strikers batted first in the semi-final. Meanwhile, Unni Mukundan and Arjun Nanda Kumar opened the innings for Kerala. Both openers started cautiously and built a solid foundation. Consequently, they put together a 76-run opening partnership before Unni Mukundan fell in the 10th over.
The opener scored 41 runs off 33 balls with 2 fours and 3 sixes. However, Jammy Banerjee dismissed him right after he completed his partnership duties. On the very next ball, Jean Paul Lal fell for a duck. As a result, Kerala slipped from 76/0 to 76/2 in quick succession.
Throughout this collapse, Arjun Nanda Kumar held firm at one end. He played a brilliant knock of 61 runs off 41 balls. Moreover, his innings included 5 fours and 2 sixes at a strike rate of 148.78. Subsequently, Madan Mohan joined him and added 49 runs for the third wicket.
Madan Mohan Provides Late Acceleration
Madan Mohan played an explosive cameo of 28 runs off just 14 balls. Additionally, he struck at 200 with 2 fours and 2 sixes. However, Jammy Banerjee dismissed him at 125/3, ending the dangerous partnership.
Shortly after, Arjun Nanda Kumar fell for 61. Meanwhile, Aryan Kathuria contributed 10 runs off 8 balls with 1 six. In addition, Arun Benny added a useful 14 off 9 balls at the death. Vivek Gopan remained unbeaten on 11. Therefore, Kerala Strikers finished at 177/6 after 20 overs.
Jammy Banerjee Stars with the Ball
Jammy Banerjee delivered his best bowling performance in the tournament. Impressively, he claimed 3 wickets for just 27 runs in his 4 overs. Furthermore, his economy rate of 6.75 was excellent on a batting-friendly pitch. The all-rounder removed the dangerous Unni Mukundan, Jean Paul Lal, and Madan Mohan.
Aditya Roy Banerjee supported him well with 2 wickets for 24 runs in 3 overs. Additionally, Rahul Mazumder picked up 1 wicket while giving away just 18 runs in 4 overs. Notably, his economy of 4.50 runs per over was the best among Bengal bowlers.
Bengal Tigers Chase Gets Off to Shaky Start
Bengal Tigers lost Indrasish Roy in the very first over. Unfortunately, he fell for a duck off just 1 ball. Unni Mukundan struck early to give Kerala hope. In response, Joy Kumar Mukherjee tried to counter-attack with 18 runs off 11 balls. However, Vivek Gopan dismissed him at 43/2 after he smashed 2 sixes.
Jammy Banerjee walked in at number 3 with the chase in trouble. Meanwhile, he played a composed innings while wickets fell at the other end. Bineesh Kodiyeri then trapped Uday Pratap lbw after he managed just 6 runs. Consequently, Bengal slipped to 79/3 in the 10th over.
Shortly after, Yusuf Chishti added 10 runs before Arun Benny dismissed him. As a result, Bengal Tigers found themselves at 101/4 with pressure mounting. Nevertheless, Jammy Banerjee continued his steady knock and kept Bengal in the hunt.
Rahul Mazumder’s Match-Winning Blitz
Jisshu Sengupta joined Jammy Banerjee and steadied the innings. Eventually, Banerjee completed his fifty and anchored the chase brilliantly. The all-rounder scored 64 runs off 58 balls with 8 fours and 1 six. However, Mohammed Shariq finally dismissed him at 127/5 in the 17th over.
At that point, Bengal Tigers needed 51 runs from 21 balls. The required rate climbed above 14 runs per over. Then, Rahul Mazumder walked in and launched an incredible assault on Kerala bowlers.
The finisher smashed 40 runs off just 11 balls at a strike rate of 363.64. Remarkably, he cleared the boundary 6 times without hitting a single four. Meanwhile, Jisshu Sengupta supported him well with an unbeaten 23 off 20 balls. Together, the pair added 51 runs in just 19 balls.
As a result, Bengal Tigers reached 178/5 with 2 balls to spare. Consequently, Mazumder’s six sixes in the death overs will be remembered as one of the best finishes in CCL history.
Key Match Statistics
Top Scorers:
- Jammy Banerjee (BT): 64 off 58 balls (8 fours, 1 six)
- Arjun Nanda Kumar (KS): 61 off 41 balls (5 fours, 2 sixes)
- Unni Mukundan (KS): 41 off 33 balls (2 fours, 3 sixes)
- Rahul Mazumder (BT): 40 off 11 balls (0 fours, 6 sixes)
- Madan Mohan (KS): 28 off 14 balls (2 fours, 2 sixes)
Top Bowlers:
- Jammy Banerjee (BT): 3 wickets for 27 runs (4 overs)
- Aditya Roy Banerjee (BT): 2 wickets for 24 runs (3 overs)
- Mohammed Shariq (KS): 1 wicket for 10 runs (4 overs)
- Rahul Mazumder (BT): 1 wicket for 18 runs (4 overs)
Fall of Wickets (Kerala Strikers):
- 76/1 (Unni Mukundan, 9.1 overs)
- 76/2 (Jean Paul Lal, 9.2 overs)
- 125/3 (Madan Mohan, 13.4 overs)
- 138/4 (Arjun Nanda Kumar, 15.2 overs)
- 148/5 (Aryan Kathuria, 16.3 overs)
- 170/6 (Arun Benny, 18.6 overs)
Fall of Wickets (Bengal Tigers):
- 3/1 (Indrasish Roy, 0.3 overs)
- 43/2 (Joy Kumar Mukherjee, 4.6 overs)
- 79/3 (Uday Pratap, 9.3 overs)
- 101/4 (Yusuf Chishti, 12.4 overs)
- 127/5 (Jammy Banerjee, 16.6 overs)
Bengal Tigers Won In A Thrilling Semi-Final To Make Its Place In The Finals
Ultimately, Rahul Mazumder’s stunning 40 off 11 balls proved to be the match-winning knock. His 6 sixes in the death overs took the game away from Kerala Strikers. Moreover, Jammy Banerjee contributed with both bat and ball. The all-rounder scored 64 runs and took 3 wickets to earn the star performance. Therefore, Bengal Tigers booked their place in the CCL 2026 final with this thrilling 5-wicket victory.
