Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy: Shahbaz Ahmed aims for the ‘top’ with all-round show

The 29-year-old’s unbeaten century stole the limelight from Mohammed Shami’s much anticipated white-ball return, leading Bengal to a four-wicket win against defending champion Punjab.

Bengal’s Shahbaz Ahmad celebrates his century during Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy between Bengal and Punjab at Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot on Saturday November 23, 2024. | Photo Credit: VIJAY SONEJI/ The Hindu

Shahbaz Ahmed doesn’t speak a lot on the field, and he surely isn’t the one who’ll try to steal a spotlight from someone. But on Saturday, Ahmed had a sparse crowd move away its eyeballs from Mohammed Shami here at the Niranjan Shah Stadium. 

The 29-year-old walked into bat when Bengal was reeling at 10/4 in 3.3 overs, chasing 180 against the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy’s defending champion, Punjab. When he walked back, he had his teammates around him giving high-fives. Bengal had chased down the target with an over-to-spare: Ahmed’s score - 100 not out off 49 balls. 

“When I arrived at the crease, the ball was coming nicely onto the bat, and to win the match we needed to score in the PowerPlay so I started to counter-attack,” Ahmed told Sportstar. 

Off his fourth ball, the fifth over of the innings, the left-hander went after Gurnoor Brar. He began the over with four, followed it up with two back-to-back sixes, and another boundary. Bengal took out 27 runs off that over. In the next over, it was Abhishek Sharma’s turn to face Ahmed’s counter-punch: 4,6,4. Bengal finished the PowerPlay at 62/4. 

Bengal’s Shahbaz Ahmad in action during Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. | Photo Credit: VIJAY SONEJI/ The Hindu

“Once we got the runs in PowerPlay, we knew it was very difficult to stop singles here. I had enough trust in myself and was clear that if I take the match deep, it’ll be easy for us because we have a lot of depth in our batting,” the lanky all-rounder explained. 

Ahmed has mostly been a player who has made a silent impact on the scoreboard. With the ball, he got a dangerous-looking Prabhsimran Singh out in the seventh over: a wicket which in retrospect did turn the tide in Bengal’s favour.

Over the years, Ahmed has played 55 matches in the Indian Premier League (IPL) where he has batted at every position from number three to nine. During IPL 2022, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) used him as a floater where he batted in middle overs and kept knocking the ball around. 

In the bowling department as well, he has either held one end or given the go-ahead to bowl attacking lines, case in point: his three wickets in the second qualifier against Rajasthan Royals that laid the foundation for Sunrisers Hyderabad’s win. 

It is the amalgamation of all these experiences that has given Ahmed this much clarity: of improving his game and fitness since it’s matches like these that are important for a player to move forward. 

“My focus is to remain fit, if I continue to do that then the performance will come. I intend to do well in this tournament and win matches for the team. I have been given the role of finishing matches.” 

“I feel satisfied that it’s been a long time since I’ve been playing for Bengal in this position. I have played plenty of such games now,” he said. 

While Ahmed isn’t focusing on the IPL auctions, he said that performing in tournaments like SMAT does hold a lot of value for players. 

“People go on top by playing here, it is the best domestic T20 tournament. Everything - IPL and India (selection) - a player gets is from here only. So, this tournament is very important and players focus on performing here,” Ahmed concluded.