Teenage Sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Shines as East Zone Storms into Duleep Trophy Final
NEW DELHI: In a display of grit and tactical brilliance, East Zone punched their ticket to the Duleep Trophy final on Tuesday, securing a hard-fought four-wicket victory over defending champions Central Zone. The triumph was anchored by a fearless cameo from 15-year-old batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and a clinical bowling performance by international stars Mohammed Shami and Mukesh Kumar.
Chasing a target of 159 on a deteriorating, spin-friendly surface, East Zone reached the finish line on the third day of the semifinal. They now look ahead to a championship clash at Chepauk, scheduled for September 6, where they will face either South Zone or North Zone.
The Rise of a Star
The spotlight was firmly on 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who provided the early offensive spark required to stabilize the chase. While his opening partner Abhimanyu Easwaran initially found better rhythm against the spinners, Sooryavanshi’s temperament impressed observers. After a cautious start—scoring 15 runs from his first 30 balls—the left-hander accelerated with ruthless precision.
In a pivotal 14th over, Sooryavanshi unleashed an aggressive assault on Yash Thakur, carting the pacer for three boundaries and a six. Though his fiery 40-run knock (off 43 balls) ended abruptly when Rajat Patidar secured a stunning running catch, the teenager had already shifted the momentum heavily in East Zone’s favor.
Bowlers Set the Stage
The platform for the victory was laid earlier in the day as East Zone’s seam attack dismantled the Central Zone lineup. Resuming at 45/3, Central Zone collapsed in the extended first session, losing their final seven wickets to be bundled out for 158.
Mohammed Shami (3/56) and Mukesh Kumar (4/44) were the architects of the destruction. Exploiting the variable bounce of the pitch, the duo ensured Central Zone never settled. Mukesh Kumar, in particular, was exceptional, finishing with a seven-wicket match haul and earning the “Player of the Match” award—a significant morale booster for the India seamer.
Composed Finish
Following Sooryavanshi’s dismissal, the chase hit a brief period of instability as Harsh Dubey claimed back-to-back wickets to leave East Zone at 124/5. However, Ishan Kishan stepped up with a calm and collected unbeaten 39 off 41 balls, steering his side safely past the target.
“From a personal point of view, and not only for me, the entire team is looking forward to playing in the final,” said Abhimanyu Easwaran after the match. “It will be heartening if we can go on and win that title.”
For East Zone, who last claimed the trophy in the 2012-13 season, the victory signals a return to prominence, combining the raw potential of youth with the seasoned reliability of India’s elite pacers.
