Duleep Trophy: WZone qualify for final after draw against CZone
What's the story
West Zone have advanced to the final of the 2023 Duleep Trophy following the drawn affair against Central Zone in the first semi-final. The Priyank Panchal-led side qualified for the summit clash on the virtue of having a 92-run first-inning lead. Cheteshwar Pujara stood out for the winning team with a magnificent ton in the third innings. Here are further details.
Summary
How did the game pan out?
CZone skipper Shivam Mavi claimed a six-fer as WZone were folded for 220 while batting first. Atit Sheth made 74. In reply, CZone could only manage 128 thanks to Arzan Nagwaswalla's 5/74. Though West Zone lost two early wickets in their second innings, Pujara and Suryakumar Yadav helped them finish at 297. Chasing 390, CZone were 128/4 before rain abandoned the game.
Stats
A rescuing knock from Sheth
All-rounder Atit Sheth played a rescuing knock for West Zone in the first innings. Despite the situation, he counter-attacked and finished with 74 off 129 balls, a knock laced with 9 fours and 1 six. It was his seventh half-century in First-Class cricket as he has raced past 1,240 runs in 31 games at a 34-plus average.
Information
Three-fer with the ball
Meanwhile, Sheth also made an impact with the ball as he claimed three wickets in CZone's first innings and claimed figures worth 3/27. He recorded 1/32 in his second outing as the right-arm pacer has raced to 98 FC wickets at a 25-plus average.
Stats
Six-fer for Mavi
Mavi ran through WZone's batting order in the first innings with a career-best 6/44. This was his third fifer in the format as he also owns as many four-wicket hauls. In 14 FC games, the speedster has raced to 59 wickets at an impressive strike rate of 19-plus. The pacer went wicket-less in his second outing.
Stats
Fifer for Nagwaswalla
Arzan Nagwaswalla's five-wicket haul was the highlight of the second day's play. Though he conceded runs at 5.1 per over, the WZone pacer returned with 5/74 in 14.3 overs. Meanwhile, this was the left-arm pacer's sixth five-wicket haul in FC cricket. He claimed 1/21 in his second outing as the left-arm pacer now owns 93 wickets in 24 games at a 24-plus average.
Stats
Fiery fifty from SKY
Suryakumar, who could only manage seven in WZone's first innings, scored a fiery fifty in his second outing. He scored 52 off just 58 deliveries, with the help of eight boundaries and a maximum. This was SKY's 29th FC fifty as he has raced past 5,610 runs in 81 games at a 44-plus average (100s: 14).
Stats
Remarkable hundred from Pujara
Pujara, who managed a 102-ball 28 in the first innings, batted with immense precision in his second outing. He ended up scoring a 278-ball 133. This was Pujara's 60th First-Class century as he also owns 76 fifties in the format. Standing in his 253rd match, the batter has raced past 19,350 runs at a stellar average of over 51.
Stats
Four-fers for Saurabh Kumar, Saransh Jain
Spinners Saurabh Kumar (4/84) and Saransh Jain (4/56) claimed four-wicket hauls in WZone's second innings. The former, who took 1/64 in the first innings, has now raced to 264 wickets in 62 FC games at an average of 24-plus. Meanwhile, off-spinner Saransh Jain now owns 66 wickets in 22 FC games at a 27-plus average.