Manoj Tiwary and Faiz Fazal bid farewell to first-class cricket

Manoj Tiwary, one of Indian domestic cricket’s stalwarts, announced his retirement from all forms of cricket after a career spanning several years. Tiwary’s decision comes after Bengal’s disappointing campaign in the Ranji Trophy 2022-23, where they finished third in Group B, missing out on qualification for the knockout stage. Despite Bengal’s struggles, Tiwary leaves behind a remarkable legacy, having scored 10,195 runs in 148 matches, including 30 centuries, at an impressive average of 47.86. In his final innings, Tiwary contributed 30 runs before being felicitated by the Cricket Association of Bengal in a ceremony at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

Meanwhile, Faiz Fazal, the former captain of Vidarbha, also bid adieu to first-class cricket following his team’s victory over Haryana in the Ranji Trophy. Fazal led Vidarbha to back-to-back Ranji Trophy titles in 2017-18 and 2018-19, leaving behind a lasting legacy. Despite ending his career with a first-ball duck in his final innings, Fazal’s contribution to Vidarbha’s success cannot be understated. With 9,184 runs in 138 matches, including 24 centuries, at an average of 41, Fazal leaves the first-class arena with numerous accolades and memories.

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As Vidarbha secured a crucial win over Haryana, topping Group A in the Ranji Trophy, Saurashtra finished as runners-up, led by the stellar performances of Cheteshwar Pujara and Dharmendrasinh Jadeja. Pujara’s third century of the season and Jadeja’s ten-wicket haul in the match against Manipur highlighted Saurashtra’s impressive campaign, setting the stage for an exciting knockout stage in the Ranji Trophy.