Central Zone thrash South Zone to clinch 2025 Duleep Trophy
What's the story
In a thumping display, Central Zone thrashed South Zone by six wickets in Bengaluru to clinch their seventh Duleep Trophy title. They comfortably accomplished the 65-run target on Day 5 morning to cross the line. Notably, Rajat Patidar's men had taken a 362-run first-innings lead in the game. Though Central Zone lost four wickets in the run chase, they eventually crossed the line.
Summary
Here is the match summary
Kumar Kartikeya and Saransh Jain shared nine wickets as SONE perished for 149 while batting first. Patidar (101) and Yash Rathod (194) starred in CZONE's first innings total of 511/10. Trailing by 362 runs, SZONE's second innings was reduced to 222/6 before Ankit Sharma (99) and C Andre Siddarth (84*) helped them post 426/10. CZONE (66/4) chased down 65 to prevail on Day 5.
Kartikeya
Twin four-fers for Kartikeya
Kartikeya, who claimed 4/53 on Day 1 of the game, dismissed four batters in his second outing as well. His figures in the second innings read 4/110 from 39 overs. The spinner has now accounted for 176 wickets from 39 red-ball games at an average of around 22. The 2025 Duleep Trophy final marked his career's ninth four-wicket haul. He also owns nine fifers.
Saransh
Eight wickets for Saransh as well
Off-spinner Saransh Jain, who claimed a fifer (5/49) in the first innings, also continued his golden run in the game. He finished with 3/130 from 42 overs in the third innings. Saransh now has 148 FC wickets at an average of under 30. The one in the summit clash was his ninth five-wicket haul in red-ball cricket.
Information
10th Fifty in FC cricket for Saransh
Batting at number seven, Saransh also smoked a 193-ball 69 in the match's second innings. He now owns 1,589 runs across 44 FC matches at an average of 27-plus. This was Saransh's 10th fifty (100: 1). This was also his second successive fifty.
Patidar
Yet another ton for Patidar
CZONE skipper Patidar slammed a 115-ball 101 in the second innings. This was his second ton and the fourth successive 50-plus score in the tourney. Overall, this was his 15th century in First-Class cricket. His tally also includes 26 half-centuries. Across 71 First-Class matches, Patidar has raced to 5,120 runs at an average of over 44.
Malewar
Malewar slams his eighth FC half-century
CZONE opener Danish Malewar scored a defiant 120-ball 53 in the second innings. As per ESPNcricinfo, Malewar slammed his eighth half-century in First-Class cricket (100s: 3). In 12 First-Class matches, the 21-year-old has raced to 1,135 runs with an average of around 57. Notably, the batter hammered his third 50-plus score in the 2025 Duleep Trophy.
Rathod
194 for Yash Rathod
Yash Rathod made a career-best 194 from 286 balls in the second innings. He has been impressive in red-ball cricket lately, having scored 87* and 78 against North East Zone in the Duleep Trophy quarter-final. Across 21 First-Class matches, Rathod has completed 1,879 runs, averaging 50-plus. He slammed his seventh First-Class century in addition to eight half-centuries. His previous best FC score was 151.
Gurjapneet
Another four-fer for Gurjapneet Singh
SZONE's left-arm pacer Gurjapneet Singh was the pick of the South Zone bowlers across both innings, claiming figures worth 4/124 and 2/21. This was his second successive four-fer as he claimed 4/96 North Zone in the semi-final match. With his latest spells, Gurjapneet has raced to 23 wickets from six FC matches at 20-plus. This was his second four-fer in the format (5W: 1).
Information
Four scalps for Ankit as well
Left-arm spinner Ankit Sharma also dismissed four CZONE batters in the second innings (4/180) before dismissing two more batters in the fourth. This was his seventh four-fer in the FC format as he now owns 174 wickets from 69 matches at 39-plus (5W: 9).
Smaran
67 for Smaran Ravichandran
South Zone batter Smaran Ravichandran scored a solid 118-ball 67 in his second outing. Across eight First-Class matches, the youngster has completed 584 runs at an average of 60-plus, as per ESPNcricinfo. He slammed his third 50-plus scores, as his first two were converted into tons. The left-handed batter also has a double-hundred in red-ball cricket.
Ankit
Ankit Sharma dismissed for 99
Besides taking six wickets in the game, SZONE's Ankit played a knock of character in the third innings. He, however, was extremely unfortunate to be dismissed on 99 off 168 balls. The southpaw missed out on his second First-Class hundred as he now owns 13 fifties. The all-rounder has now completed 2,277 runs in the format, averaging around 30.
Siddarth
Siddarth scores 84* for SZONE
Ankit added 192 runs for the seventh wicket with C Andre Siddarth, who returned unbeaten on 84 off 190 balls. This was his sixth 50-plus score in FC cricket as he now owns 708 runs from nine games at an average of 68-plus. He also has a hundred in the format.