East Zone Cruise into Duleep Trophy Semis After Dominant Win Over North East Zone

East Zone secured a resounding place in the Duleep Trophy semifinals on Tuesday, dismantling North East Zone by an innings and 210 runs at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground. The victory was defined by a magnificent batting display from Shahbaz Ahmed and a clinical bowling performance that kept the opposition under constant pressure.

Shahbaz and Gharami Lead the Charge

East Zone’s dominance began with the bat. After stumbling to a precarious 138 for five, the side looked vulnerable, but a resolute partnership between Shahbaz Ahmed and Sudip Kumar Gharami completely shifted the momentum.

Shahbaz played a masterclass of an innings, scoring 167 off 244 balls, featuring 17 boundaries and four sixes. Gharami was equally destructive, anchoring the recovery with a blistering 146 from just 185 deliveries, including 25 fours. Their stand was the cornerstone of East Zone’s mammoth first-innings total of 467.

Bowling Attacks Decimate North East

The East Zone bowlers proved to be a league above their counterparts. In North East Zone’s first innings, Abhijit Sarkar tore through the lineup, returning remarkable figures of 5-20. Shahbaz Ahmed proved his all-round utility by adding 3-20 to his tally, helping bundle out the opposition for a meager 111 in just 42.5 overs.

Arpit Bhatewara (32) and skipper Rongsen Jonathan (21) were the only batters to offer any semblance of resistance, but the team ultimately crumbled, leaving them facing a massive follow-on deficit.

Anukul Roy Seals the Semifinal Spot

Forced to bat again, North East Zone found no respite. Despite small contributions from Pheiroijam Jotin (39), Akash Choudhary (27), and Kishan Lyngdoh (25), the second innings proved to be another one-sided affair.

Anukul Roy took center stage, dismantling the middle and lower order to finish with a stellar 5-37. Young prospect Vaibhav Sooryavanshi also caught the eye with two crucial wickets, while Mukesh Kumar and Sarkar picked up one apiece. North East Zone were eventually skittled out for 146, handing East Zone a comprehensive victory and a well-deserved ticket to the tournament semifinals.

Shami Faces a Quiet Outing

While the match was a triumph for East Zone, star India pacer Mohammed Shami had a surprisingly subdued outing. Shami remained wicketless across both innings, struggling to find his rhythm on the day. With the semifinals approaching, the veteran quick will be looking to regain his usual lethal form as East Zone shifts its focus to the next stage of the competition.