The central zone of Rajat Patidar survived several nerve moments to defeat the southern zone in the final of the Duleep Trophy. The central zone, which plays in the center of the Excellence of the Indian cricket board (BCCI), chased 65 runs on the last day of the competition to lift the trophy after a 11 -year break.
When it is haunted by a modest goal 65, the dough of the highest order of the central zone probably took it easy. The Disaster hit when the South Zone Gurjapneet Singh and the Ankit Kumar ruled the highest ranking to reduce the team to 24/3. On the decaying fifth day, the seamors fought hard until the 20th to defend 65 runs, but they simply did not have enough run on the record.
Akshay Wadkar (19* out of 52 balls) and the first shift of Centurion Yash Rathod (13* of 16 balls) were fold when Central eventually went through the finish at 66/4 at 20.3 overs to claim his seventh title Duleep Trophy.
The southern zone, however, will have a lot of pride in the fight that showed in the second shifts (426) as the ball in the last shifts, which will delay the Central march to win.
DULEEP TROPHY finals: 5th day
The spinner of the left shoulder Ankit Sharma represented Danish Malewar (5) with a van that turned sharply and set out the edge of the central opener on the way to the goalkeeper Mohammed Azharuddeen. Later he added the goal of the Central Captain Rajat Patidar, who played a hurry sweeping the slogan to catch half of MD Nidheesh.
Pacer Gurjapneet Singh, who earned India on Sunday, picked up scalp SHUBHAM SHARMA and the promoted Saransha Jain, who was later convicted by the player of the series and created several anxious moments for the central camp.
However, the player of the match Rathod and Wadkar managed the central home without further damage.
For Patidar it was his second title this year after leaving the royal challenges of Bengalur to win the IPL, and was naturally pleased.
“Every captain likes trophies. But our players showed a lot of character in the tournament and I’m very happy about it.”
“Here the goal was a bit dry, so we decided to burn first. I am pleased with Danish and Yash; they detonated the whole tournament well,” Patidar said during the ceremony after the match.
Southern Captain Azharuddeen said that reaching the final Duleep Trophy will serve as a motivation in the long home season, which now enters the Trophy Ranji phase from October 15.
“We will improve from this experience, a long season ahead. Central spinners hit the right area and as a branding unit we made some bad decisions. But in the second shift we fought well and I am glad that we did not easily give up,” he said.
With that, the home season is coming for a moment. The Iranian Cup is another tournament for players of older men, starting on October 1. The Iranian Cup will act as the accumulation of trophy Ranji, which begins on October 15.
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Published:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
September 15, 2025
