Bengaluru, Sep 5: In the Duleep Trophy semi-final, Narayan Jagadeesan narrowly missed a double century, scoring 197 runs. South Zone amassed a formidable first-innings total of 536 against North Zone.
Despite a slow second day, they added 239 runs in 88.2 overs while losing their remaining wickets. North Zone now faces a challenging target of 537 to secure a spot in the final.
South Zone began the day at 297 for three, with captain Mohammed Azharuddeen dismissed early by Anshul Kamboj. Jagadeesan and Ricky Bhui formed a steady partnership, adding 87 runs for the fifth wicket over 194 deliveries. However, Jagadeesan was run out after Bhui’s miscommunication during a quick single attempt.
South Zone’s Batting Performance
Ricky Bhui briefly accelerated post-lunch, hitting Sahil Lotra for a four and six. But his innings ended when he edged Nishant Sindhu to Ankit Kumar. Sindhu proved effective with figures of 5/125 in 47.2 overs, playing a crucial role in restricting South Zone’s scoring rate on the second day.
Later, Tanay Thyagarajan and Gurjapneet Singh contributed significantly to South Zone’s total. Thyagarajan scored 58 off 116 balls, while Singh added 29 off 81 balls. Their partnership for the eighth wicket yielded 63 runs, pushing South Zone past the 500-run mark.
North Zone’s Challenge
With two days remaining, North Zone has the task of chasing down the target set by South Zone. The pitch conditions and South Zone’s bowling attack will test their batting lineup as they aim to reach the final.
The brief scores are as follows: South Zone declared at 536 in their first innings, with notable contributions from Jagadeesan and Thyagarajan. Nishant Sindhu was the standout bowler for North Zone with five wickets.
The match continues to be an intriguing contest as both teams vie for a place in the final. North Zone will need to strategise effectively to overcome the substantial target set by South Zone.