Central Zone Takes Charge in Duleep Trophy Semi-Final
In a remarkable display of batting, Central Zone secured a vital lead in the second semi-final of the Duleep Trophy on Saturday, September 6, at the BCCI CEG Ground B. Captain Rajat Patidar scored 77 runs while Shubham Sharma narrowly missed a century with 96 runs. With their efforts, Central Zone wrapped up the day at 556/8, holding a 118-run advantage over West Zone, positioning themselves close to reaching the finals of the tournament.
Patidar and Sharma started the day strong with a 69-run partnership, which they skillfully stretched to 127 runs. Unfortunately, Captain Patidar’s innings ended when he was clean-bowled by Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, who took 4 wickets for 101 runs. In contrast, Shubham faced an unfortunate runout at 96, just shy of his century.
Central Zone experienced a moment of concern when Yash Rathour was dismissed for just 2 runs, leaving them at 322/5 and trailing by 116 runs. However, Upendra Yadav, with 87 runs, and Yash Dubey, who contributed 75 runs, formed a solid 134-run partnership for the sixth wicket, helping Central Zone not only overtake West Zone’s first-innings total but also take control of the match.
With a significant lead established, Rajat Patidar’s team is poised to extend their advantage on the final day of the match. Meanwhile, in the first semi-final, North Zone managed to reach 278/5. Shubham Khajuria shone brightly, scoring an impressive unbeaten 128 runs off 145 balls, featuring 20 boundaries and a six. His partnership of 171 runs with Nishant Sindhu, who scored 82 runs, was crucial in rescuing North Zone from a shaky start of 38/2.
Despite their efforts, North Zone still finds themselves trailing by a considerable 258 runs as they head into the last day, facing a challenging task to close the gap and secure a place in the final.
- Ends –
Published by: Rishabh Beniwal on Sep 6, 2025
