Even though Mohammed Shami might be out of action currently owing to an injury, but his brother Mohammed Kaif has been making waves in domestic cricket. Playing his second Ranji Trophy 2024 match for Bengal, against Uttar Pradesh, Kaif, a fast-bowler, came up with a performance of 4/14, to blow away the opposition for 60 all out.
Surprisingly, the entire team was bundled out in just 21 overs, with Shami’s brother producing the most impressive figures. Opener Samarth Singh top-scored for UP with 13. On the other hand, Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal bagged three wickets for his team, while Ishan Porel wrapped up the proceedings with two.
In his first Ranji Trophy match against Andhra, Kaif had picked up 3/62 in the only innings he bowled in. That also means, he is Bengal’s leading wicket-taker in the current season, with seven scalps.
Apart from Kaif, this Ranji fixture holds a lot of importance as well, as it marks the return of India pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar to first-class cricket after close to six years. The last time Bhuvi had played a red-ball match, was India’s 2018 Test against South Africa.