Forgotten India pacer Shami bags career-best 8/90 for Bengal in Ranji Trophy

Sidelined India pacer Mohammed Shami produced his career-best first-class figures for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy semifinal against Jammu & Kashmir.

Shami bagged 8/90 to give Bengal a handy first innings lead of 26 runs on Day 3. However, J&K hit back to reduce Bengal to 99 in the second innings to set themselves a target of 126 runs to reach the final.

J&K lost openers Shubham Khajuria and Yawer Hassan, with Akash Deep taking the wickets. J&K closed Day 3 at 43/2, trailing by 83 runs. With two days left, J&K would be hoping they can withstand Shami and Akash Deep and get across the finish line.

Shami's impressive bowling that included two bowled and as many lbws and a handful of catches in the slips has turned him into a talking point again. The 35-year-old has not played for India since the Champions Trophy last March.

Meanwhile, in the second semifinal, Karnataka were in a strong position against Uttarakhand. At the close of Day 3, Uttarakhand were 149/5, trailing Karnataka by a massive 587. Devdutt Padikkal's 232 and centuries from K L Rahul (141) and Ravichandran Smaran (135) had powered Karnataka to 736.