Duleep Trophy 2024: Ishan, Sooryavanshi fire East Zone into final
Synopsis
East Zone knocked out defending champions Central Zone in a gripping Duleep Trophy semifinal at Bengaluru, with Ishan Kishan's unbeaten 39 steering a nervy four-wicket chase. The performances of Shami and Mukesh Kumar — three and four wickets apiece in Central's second innings — will have national selectors taking notes ahead of the Test season.
Key Takeaways
East Zone beat Central Zone by four wickets in the Duleep Trophy semifinal on 1 September in Bengaluru .
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi hit 43 off 43 balls and Ishan Kishan remained unbeaten on 39 to seal the 159-run chase.
Harsh Dubey took four wickets for Central in the second innings, but it was not enough.
Mukesh Kumar (4 wickets) and Mohammed Shami (3 wickets) bowled Central out for 158 in their second innings.
Sooryavanshi had earlier top-scored with 92 in East's first innings of 266 , matching Central's first-innings total exactly.
East Zone advance to the Duleep Trophy final , eliminating the defending champions.
East Zone marched into the Duleep Trophy final on Tuesday, 1 September at Bengaluru, defeating Central Zone by four wickets after a composed chase anchored by captain Ishan Kishan and teenage opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The victory knocked out the defending champions, who had no answer to East's disciplined bowling or their batters' nerve under pressure.
The Chase: Sooryavanshi Blazes, Kishan Steadies
Sooryavanshi opened with intent, racing to 43 off 43 balls with three fours and a six before being dismissed in the 14th over — Rinku Singh's teammate Shreyas Iyer's catch off Yash Thakur ending a bright cameo. The young batter's dismissal, taken by Patidar with a brilliant diagonal-running effort at mid-on, briefly shifted momentum toward Central.
Harsh Dubey then struck twice in quick succession — removing Kumar Kushagra and Anukul Roy — to leave East wobbling at 124 for 5, still needing 34 runs. But Ishan Kishan, batting with calm authority, refused to buckle. The skipper finished unbeaten on 39 off 41 balls, guiding East across the line alongside Mohammed Shami, who remained not out on 8. Dubey ended with four wickets, while Yash Thakur and Saransh Jain also contributed to Central's bowling effort.
East Bowlers Dismantle Central in Second Innings
Entering Day 3 of the semifinal with Central on a precarious 45 for 3, the East attack was relentless. Abhijit K. Sarkar struck first, removing nightwatchman Aryan Pandey, before Shami and Mukesh Kumar dismantled the middle order — accounting for Yash Rathod and Aman Mokhade respectively.
Central slipped to 97 for 8 before Harsh Dubey and Arshad Khan mounted a defiant 43-run ninth-wicket stand. Their resistance proved temporary, as Central were bowled out for 158. Mukesh Kumar finished with four wickets in the innings, while Shami took three — both Indian internationals delivering when it mattered most.
How the Match Unfolded
In the first innings, Central Zone posted 266, anchored by a valiant 60 from Rinku Singh. East responded with an identical 266, with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi top-scoring with 92 and Abhimanyu Easwaran contributing 69. The match was perfectly poised heading into the final two days — and East's bowlers ensured there was no dramatic reversal.
What's Next
East Zone will now await the winner of the other semifinal to contest the Duleep Trophy final. The performance of Shami and Mukesh Kumar — both Indian internationals returning to domestic red-ball cricket — will be closely watched by national selectors ahead of the upcoming Test season.
Point of View
Sooryavanshi's 43 — tell only half the story. What this semifinal really demonstrated is that East Zone's bowling attack, led by two Indian Test regulars in Shami and Mukesh Kumar, is operating at a different level from the rest of the domestic field. Central's batting capitulated for 158 chasing their own modest first-innings score of 266 — a collapse that should concern selectors as much as the individual performances delight them. Sooryavanshi's twin contributions across both innings (92 and 43) are the quiet subplot: a teenager playing without fear in a high-stakes knockout is precisely the kind of signal that red-ball selectors should not ignore.
NationPress
1 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Duleep Trophy semifinal between East Zone and Central Zone?
East Zone won the semifinal by four wickets, chasing down a target of 159 runs in Bengaluru on 1 September. The victory knocked defending champions Central Zone out of the tournament.
How did Ishan Kishan perform in the Duleep Trophy semifinal?
Ishan Kishan, captaining East Zone, finished unbeaten on 39 off 41 balls and guided his side home in a tense chase. His composure at 124 for 5, with 34 still needed, was the defining contribution of the innings.
What did Vaibhav Sooryavanshi score in the match?
Sooryavanshi scored 43 off 43 balls in the second-innings chase, hitting three fours and a six before being dismissed by a brilliant catch from Patidar at mid-on. He had also top-scored with 92 in East's first innings.
How did the East Zone bowlers perform in Central's second innings?
Mukesh Kumar took four wickets and Mohammed Shami claimed three as East bowled Central out for 158. Central had entered Day 3 on 45 for 3, and the East attack steadily dismantled the remaining batting.
Who will East Zone face in the Duleep Trophy final?
East Zone will face the winner of the other semifinal in the Duleep Trophy final. The date and venue of the final had not been confirmed at the time of reporting.
