Mithilesh Das’ three-wicket haul earned him a player of the match award. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

CRICKET

Bengal T20 League: Nous Royals Purulia secure slim eight-run win over Sobisco Smashers Malda

Yuvraj Keswani’s 28-ball 40 and Mithilesh Das and Pradipta Pramanik’s three-wicket hauls enabled Nous Royals Purulia to post a slim eight-run win over Sobisco Smashers Malda in the Bengal T20 League at the Eden Gardens here on Wednesday.

Purulia managed 139 for eight before restricting Malda to 131 for eight to record its fourth win. It became the third team after Malda and Shrachi Rarh Tigers to reach the semifinals.

Purulia lost three wickets, two of them to Suraj Jaiswal, for 53 runs in the PowerPlay.

The left-handed Keswani batted as per the situation. He collected his four fours on the off-side while picking up his lone six over deep mid-wicket off left-arm spinner Ramesh Prashad.

Ramesh and leg-spinner Prayas Ray Barman also took two wickets apiece for Malda.

Chasing a modest target, Malda did not have an ideal start. Off-spinner Mithilesh Das removed southpaw Akhil and Abhimanyu Easwaran in the fourth over. Akhil was caught at cover, while Abhimanyu was trapped in front.

Mithilesh also captured the third wicket when a set Ray Barman holed out on the leg side.

Pramanik and his fellow bowlers mounted more pressure as Malda lost wickets regularly and fell short of the target.

-Team Sportstar

SNOOKER

India beat Mongolia to reach World Team Snooker Championship quarterfinals

India registered a hard-fought 3-1 win over Mongolia to book their place in the quarterfinals of the World Team Snooker Championship here on Wednesday.

The nervy victory helped the former champions set up a last-eight meeting with China ‘B’, against whom they had lost narrowly in the league stage on the opening day.

Hosts China beat Singapore 3-1 in their pre-quarterfinal match.

Earlier in the day, India were too good for the lowly Turkey, scoring a lopsided 3-0 win in their final Group ‘B’ league match to advance to the knockouts.

After a grueling battle with Nasanbuyan Orgil, Aditya Mehta secured the win to put India ahead in the last-16 clash against Mongolia.

Pankaj Advani made a break of 51 enroute to a 70-6 win over Sergelen Batdelger.

Advani and Ketan Chawla, playing his first match of the tournament, then went down 54-70 in the doubles to give Mongolia a look-in.

But multiple-time world champion Advani returned to score a facile 67-37 win over Orgil to seal the tie.

In the morning, Advani kickstarted the rout against Turkey, registering a comfortable 60-39 win over Ismail Turker.

Aditya Mehta, a former World Games gold medallist, outclassed Enes Bakirci 95-17 to give India a 2-0 lead.

The country’s top two players combined to score a 90-13 win over the Turkish duo of Turker and Bakirci to clinch the doubles match and the rubber 3-0. Advani compiled a break of 46 in the final match.

Results: League (Group ‘B’): India bt Turkey 3-0 (Pankaj Advani bt Ismail Turker 60-39; Aditya Mehta bt Enes Bakirci 95-17; Advani/ Mehta bt Turker/Bakirci 90-13).

Pre-quarterfinals: India bt Mongolia 3-1 (Aditya Mehta bt Nasanbuyan Orgil 65-46, Pankaj Advani bt Sergelen Batdelger 70 (51) -6, Advani/ Ketan Chawla lost to Orgil/ Batdelger 54-70, Advani bt Orgil 67-37).

-PTI

Published on Jun 17, 2026