Mohammed Shami to Lead Bengal’s Pace Attack in Vijay Hazare Trophy

Senior fast bowler Mohammed Shami has been named in Bengal’s squad for the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he is set to spearhead the team’s pace attack following an impressive domestic comeback.

Shami’s selection comes after a strong run across formats in the ongoing season. The experienced pacer has picked up 36 wickets for Bengal so far, marking a successful return after a prolonged injury lay-off that kept him away from both international and domestic cricket.

Despite missing selection for India’s recent assignments, Shami has consistently delivered at the domestic level. His performances have played a key role in Bengal’s unbeaten start to the Ranji Trophy season, where the team sits atop Group C with three outright wins from five matches.

The fast bowler began his comeback with red-ball cricket, claiming 20 wickets in four Ranji Trophy matches at an average of 18.60, including a five-wicket haul. He carried that momentum into the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, finishing as Bengal’s leading wicket-taker with 16 wickets from seven matches at an average of 14.93.

In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Shami will lead a formidable pace unit that also includes India internationals Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar. The squad will be captained by top-order batter Abhimanyu Easwaran.

Bengal have been placed in Elite Group B and will open their campaign against Vidarbha on December 24 in Rajkot. The group also features Assam, Baroda, Jammu and Kashmir, Hyderabad, Chandigarh and Uttar Pradesh, making for a competitive pool.

Group-stage matches will be held in Rajkot, while the knockout rounds are scheduled at Bengaluru’s Centre of Excellence from January 12 to 18. With Shami in form and leading the attack, Bengal will be aiming for a deep run in the tournament.