As the rest of the world was celebrating Christmas on December 25, Bengal batsman Pankaj Shaw was making a statement of all kinds of intent, powering his way to an unbeaten 413.
Shaw was playing for Barisha Sporting in the Cricket Association of Bengal’s first-division league match against Dakshin Kalikata Sansad at the Oxford Mission Douglas ground, Behala. He belted 44 fours and 23 sixes en route to his feat, registering the first 400-plus score in the CAB league.
The 28-year-old was coming into the tournament on the back of a poor season with Bengal. Shaw stated that he now has a new lease of life with this feat. “I now know my shortcomings and the areas I need to work on. I needed a big innings at any level to get back into the groove and I think this 400 could be the turning point,” Shaw was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.
The Oxford Mission ground went a long way in the batsman finding the ropes with ease. Shaw had a clear logic behind his marauding display. “Batsmen get out to skiers even on smaller grounds. We have to time the ball properly to clear the ropes. Our first five wickets fell cheaply and someone had to take the attack to the opposition. I tried to do that. I just played my natural game until 280 before throwing caution to the wind. From 280 to 413, it took only 10 overs,” Shaw added.
Dakshin Kalikata Sansad’s were all out for 369 in the first innings. Barisha Sporting plundered 708/8 in reply as the match finished in a draw.
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