Bengaluru, Sep 2026 : Captain Ishan Kishan produced a composed unbeaten knock while teenage batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi provided the early momentum as East Zone defeated defending champions Central Zone by four wickets to storm into the Duleep Trophy final on Tuesday.
Chasing a modest target of 159, East Zone reached 160 for six, with Kishan remaining unbeaten on 39 off 41 deliveries. Mohammed Shami stayed with him on eight not out as East completed the chase despite a late fightback from Central’s bowlers.
Sooryavanshi set the tone for the chase with an attacking 43-ball 40. The young batter initially curbed his natural aggression before opening up and striking three fours and a six. His innings came to an end in the 14th over when Patidar produced an excellent running catch from mid-on off Yash Thakur’s bowling.
Central appeared to have a chance when Harsh Dubey continued his impressive performance with the ball. The left-arm spinner claimed two wickets in quick succession, dismissing Kumar Kushagra and Anukul Roy to reduce East Zone to 124 for five, leaving the side needing another 35 runs.
Kishan, however, remained calm under pressure and guided his team towards the target. Although Sudip Kumar Gharami fell during the closing stages, the East captain ensured there was no further collapse and completed the victory alongside Shami.
Earlier in the day, East Zone’s bowlers delivered a dominant performance to bowl Central Zone out for 158 in their second innings. Central had resumed the third day at 45 for three and struggled to withstand the sustained pressure from the East attack.
Mukesh Kumar was the standout bowler, finishing with four wickets, while Shami claimed three wickets to add another strong performance to his tournament. Abhijit K. Sarkar also made an early breakthrough by dismissing nightwatchman Aryan Pandey.
Shami then removed Yash Rathod, while Mukesh accounted for Aman Mokhade as Central slipped further. The defending champions were reduced to 97 for eight before Harsh Dubey and Arshad Khan mounted a brief recovery.
The pair added 43 runs for the ninth wicket, raising hopes of a more competitive target. Their resistance eventually ended, however, as Central were dismissed for 158. Their second-innings total, combined with their first-innings score of 266, left East with a target of 159.
The match had been finely poised after the first innings, with Central scoring 266, led by Rinku Singh’s determined 60. East Zone matched that total, thanks largely to Sooryavanshi’s impressive 92 and Abhimanyu Easwaran’s 69, leaving both teams level on 266.
The tie was ultimately decided by East Zone’s superior bowling in the second innings. Their disciplined attack dismantled Central’s batting line-up before Kishan and Sooryavanshi completed the job with the bat.
East Zone will now advance to the Duleep Trophy final, while Central Zone’s title defence has come to an end after a spirited but ultimately unsuccessful campaign.
