Runs dominated the second day of the Duleep Trophy semifinals at the BCCI Centre of Excellence on Friday. South Zone posted a massive first-innings score against North Zone, while Central Zone’s top-order batsmen made steady gains in reply to West Zone’s 438. Narayan Jagadeesan was the standout performer for South Zone, crafting a brilliant 197.
The opener looked poised for a double century, controlling the innings from the outset and striking boundaries all over the field. He fell three runs short of the milestone, but South Zone had already established a commanding total of 536. Ricky Bhui and Tanay Thyagarajan scored key fifties, while North Zone’s pacers struggled, leaving spinner Nishant Sindhu to carry the attack.
Sindhu, a member of India’s victorious 2022 Under-19 World Cup team, bowled 48 overs and claimed a well-earned five-wicket haul (5/125). Anshul Kamboj, who recently made his Test debut against England, picked up two wickets, but the remaining bowlers found little success as South Zone comfortably crossed the 500-run mark.
In the other semifinal, Central Zone stayed in contention against West Zone thanks to a strong showing from their top-order batsmen. Chasing 438, openers Danish Malewar and Ayush Pandey laid a solid foundation with a 93-run partnership.
Malewar Shines Again With 76 As Pandey Adds Quick 40 In Central Zone’s Semifinal Stand
Malewar, coming off a double century in the quarterfinals, continued his impressive run of form, scoring a composed 76 off 136 balls, displaying excellent temperament and sharp footwork. Pandey contributed a quick 40 before being dismissed in the morning session.
Malewar’s departure, caught behind off left-arm spinner Dharmendra Jadeja, brought Shubham Sharma to the crease. The seasoned right-hander reached his half-century off 118 balls, handling the spinners’ challenging spells. He remained unbeaten on 60 at stumps, with captain Rajat Patidar at the other end on 47.
The duo added 69 runs for the third wicket, taking Central Zone to 229 for two by the close of play. Earlier, West Zone had extended their overnight total of 363 for six to 438. Skipper Shardul Thakur fought hard to score 56 before being run out, while Tanush Kotian, resuming on 65, went on to make 76.
Central Zone’s spin attack, led by Harsh Dubey, wrapped up the tail efficiently. At the midway point, both semifinals remain closely contested. South Zone will rely on their first-innings 536 to pressure North Zone’s batting, while Central Zone, still 209 runs behind with eight wickets in hand, will aim to secure a crucial first-innings advantage over West Zone on Saturday.
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