Bengal T20 League 2026: Shahbaz Ahmed stars as Rarh Tigers Lift Title in Truncated Final

Shrachi Rarh Tigers emerged champions of the Bengal T20 League Season 3 men’s competition after defeating Sobisco Smashers Malda by nine runs via the DLS Method in a rain-affected final at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday (June 21).

The summit clash was played under challenging weather conditions, with persistent rain disrupting proceedings throughout the day. The weather had already taken its toll on the tournament schedule, forcing the Women’s Bengal T20 League final, which was originally slated to be held earlier on Sunday, to be postponed.

Bengal T20 League 2026 Final – As It Happened

With rain reducing the men’s final to a 15-overs-a-side contest, Rarh Tigers produced a remarkable recovery after a disastrous start to set up their title-winning triumph.

Asked to bat first, the Tigers found themselves in deep trouble at 10 for 3 in the early overs. However, skipper Shahbaz Ahmed showcased his class and leadership with a sensational unbeaten knock of 88 off just 46 deliveries. The left-handed all-rounder smashed seven boundaries and six towering sixes, anchoring the innings while maintaining an aggressive scoring rate.

Shahbaz found an able partner in Gaurav Singh Chauhan, who played a crucial supporting role with a fluent 55 off 30 balls. The duo stitched together a match-defining partnership that completely shifted the momentum in Rarh Tigers’ favour. Their efforts powered the side to an imposing total of 165 for 4 in the allotted 15 overs.

For Malda, Akhil was the standout bowler, claiming two wickets.

Rain intervened again during the chase, resulting in a revised target of 107 runs in nine overs for Sobisco Smashers Malda. Despite a spirited effort from skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran, who struck a brisk 38 off 22 balls, the chase never truly gathered momentum.

Malda eventually finished on 97 for 5 from their nine overs, falling nine runs short of the target. Rarh Tigers’ bowlers held their nerve in the crucial stages, with Sukhmeet Singh picking up two wickets, while Raju Halder and Rohit Kumar chipped in with one wicket each.

The Rarh Tigers were excellent throughout the BTL season. They finished on top of the points table with 6 wins out of 7 matches, and their captain Shahbaz Ahmed has inspired them throughout in this campaign.