New Delhi: Central Zone ended their 11-year wait for Duleep Trophy glory as they beat South Zone by six wickets in a tense final day chase at the BCCI CoE grounds on Monday. Rajat Patidar’s side was chasing just 65 runs, though the target seemed straightforward on paper but South’s bowlers turned the morning into a battle on a deteriorating pitch before Central eventually crossed the line at 66 for 4 in 20.3 overs.
After early wobbles, Akshay Wadkar and first innings centurion Yash Rathod held their nerves in the final stretch. This win gave Central their seventh Duleep Trophy title, a fitting reward for their resilience across the tournament.
Despite the defeat, South Zone walked away with credit for the fight. Their second innings revival, which saw them post 426 on the scoreboard, kept the contest alive and their disciplined bowling on the final morning briefly raised hopes of a dramatic turnaround.
That winning feeling 🤗
Central Zone Captain Rajat Patidar receives the coveted Duleep Trophy 🏆 from Mr. VVS Laxman, Head of Cricket, BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE) 👏 👏#DuleepTrophy | #Final | @rrjjt_01 | @VVSLaxman281 | @IDFCFIRSTBank
Scorecard ▶️… pic.twitter.com/r4cNT3wf6F
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) September 15, 2025
More to follow…