Duleep Trophy: East Zone beat Central Zone by four wickets to reach final in Bengaluru
East Zone beat Central Zone by four wickets at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru on Tuesday to reach the Duleep Trophy final. Chasing 159, East completed the target in 39.3 overs with Ishan Kishan unbeaten on 39 and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi contributing 40.
Set 159 to win, East benefited from another significant contribution from Sooryavanshi (40, 43b, 3x4, 2x6) and a finishing knock from skipper Ishan Kishan (39 not out, 41b, 4x4, 1x6). Sooryavanshi was circumspect early, taking 37 balls to reach 22, before accelerating in the 14th over by striking Yash Thakur for three fours and a six. The six, a lofted drive over mid-off, was noted as his best shot of the innings and came as the 15-year-old held his pose. His opening stand of 61 with Abhimanyu Easwaran (24, 55b, 1x6) provided a solid platform for the chase.
Sooryavanshi’s innings ended in the same Yash Thakur over when Rajat Patidar took a superb diving catch, running more than 25 yards sidewards from mid-on to complete the dismissal. With the openers having put on a 61-run platform, East’s middle order required only a measured contribution to finish the chase. Kishan guided the pursuit home and remained unbeaten as East sealed victory inside three days for a second successive match in the competition.
Central Zone, which resumed on 45 for three overnight, was reduced to 97 for eight before a late ninth-wicket stand. Harsh Dubey (24, 51b, 3x4) and Arshad Khan (25, 36b, 2x4, 1x6) put on 43 for the ninth wicket to frustrate East briefly. Mohammed Shami (3 for 56) provided the key breakthrough, effecting an ankle-high caught-and-bowled to dismiss Harsh, and Arshad was out soon after when his sweep off Anukul Roy resulted in the red cherry getting stuck between the helmet grill and the neck of short-leg fielder Sudip Gharami.
On the adjacent ground, North Zone ended day three on 256 for seven, leading South by 139 runs, while South finished on 312 after adding 27 to its overnight total. A spirited batting performance from the Delhi duo of Sanat Sangwan (76, 148b, 8x4) and Ayush Doseja (52, 76b, 5x4) ensured that their opponent’s 117-run first-innings lead wouldn’t prove crushing. South pacer Vidwath Kaverappa did not bowl in the post-tea session after injuring his left leg while bowling, and Tilak Varma will hope that his fast-bowling mainstay is available on the final morning if North threatens to turn the tide.
The scores: North Zone 195 & 256/7 in 66 overs (Sanat Sangwan 76, Ayush Doseja 52) vs. South Zone 312 in 100.3 overs (Tilak Varma 116 n.o., Shreyas Gopal 87, Gurnoor Brar 4/88). Central Zone 266 & 158 in 50.2 overs (Aman Mokhade 41, Mukesh Kumar 4/44) lost to East Zone 266 & 162/6 in 39.3 overs (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 40, Harsh Dubey 4/53).
East Zone will now contest the Duleep Trophy final after completing this four-wicket win over Central Zone at the BCCI Centre of Excellence.
