The recent form tells a clear enough story. "
Bengal" have swept through their
Vijay Hazare Trophy fixtures with four consecutive victories, and that momentum cannot be dismissed lightly. Their most recent triumph—defending just sixty-four runs against Chandigarh—was as narrow as it sounds, yet victories, however slender, have a way of building belief. Earlier, they survived a breathless contest against Baroda, prevailing by a single run in a match that saw three hundred and eighty-three on the board. That sort of nerve, that capacity to absorb pressure, counts for something.
"
Assam," by contrast, have stumbled. They've lost three of their last four outings in the tournament, and while they managed to edge Jammu and Kashmir by four runs on the twenty-ninth, that win looked more like a reprieve than a turning point. Before that, defeats to Vidarbha, Uttar Pradesh, and Hyderabad exposed familiar weaknesses: totals either too modest or defences insufficiently disciplined. When they posted three hundred and eight against Vidarbha, they still fell short; when they managed two hundred and eighty-two against Uttar Pradesh, they leaked two hundred and eighty-three. The margins are tight, but the pattern is unmistakable.
Still, domestic fifty-over cricket has a habit of resetting narratives. I recall a soggy morning in Cuttack years ago, watching an underdog side dismantle a table-topper simply because conditions favoured their bowling. One good spell, one batting collapse, and the form book becomes irrelevant. That said, from what we've seen recently, "
Bengal" appear better equipped. Their batting has shown resilience under pressure, and their ability to defend low totals suggests a bowling unit with composure and variety.
"
Assam" will need more than hope. They'll need early wickets, disciplined lines, and a top-order contribution substantial enough to post a total that removes doubt. Without that, "
Bengal" hold the sporting advantage, not by a wide margin, but by enough to make them the more credible proposition on form and temperament.
