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Mohammed Shami impressed on his First-Class return as Manishi took key wickets to restrict North Zone to 308 for six, with Ayush Badoni scoring a stylish 63 in the Duleep Trophy.
Duleep Trophy: East Zone’s Mohammed Shami against North Zone (PTI)
Senior pacer Mohammed Shami delivered an impressive performance, though not particularly incisive, while young left-arm spinner Manishi’s pivotal strikes helped East Zone restrict North Zone to 308 for six on the opening day of the Duleep Trophy quarterfinals on Thursday.
Middle-order batter Ayush Badoni showcased a stylish 63 off 60 balls on a relatively smooth pitch, but other North batters failed to capitalise on their solid starts after East chose to bowl.
The spotlight was firmly on Shami, playing his first First-Class game since November 2024. Initially, he appeared somewhat out of touch during his first two spells, lacking his typical sharpness, likely due to adjusting his body to the demands of long-form cricket. He managed to beat the bat’s outside edge several times, but North openers Ankit Kumar and Shubham Khajuria handled his spells without much trouble.
Shami’s first spell of the day read 5-2-10-0, and his second was 3-0-10-0, both bowled in the morning session. He was primarily operating in lower gears, assessing the conditions and his physical readiness. However, there was a notable difference in his third spell immediately after lunch (4-2-9-0), where a familiar, quicker Shami emerged, testing the batters’ judgment outside the off-stump. Occasionally, he managed to deliver in-dippers, causing Ayush Badoni and Nishant Sindhu to take a couple of blows on their pads.
The 34-year-old could have claimed his first wicket earlier in his fourth spell (5-0-26-1) if Kumar Kushagra had not dropped Kanhaiya Wadhawan (37) at long-on when he was on 27. Nonetheless, Shami soon found success, dismissing Sahil Lotra, who edged a loose waft outside the off-stump, settling the veteran down. Despite not being threatening with every ball, Shami’s total of 17 overs bowled (1/55) on the day would have been satisfying for him. He navigated spells of varying intensity without much discomfort, potentially encouraging him to push harder in the upcoming days.
It is worth noting that Shami missed the flight to England for the recent Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy due to concerns over his ability to handle long spells in five-day cricket. However, this day’s performance might have offered promising signs for him and the selectors when considering the squad for the home Test series against the West Indies.
How Badoni Smashed 63?
Ayush Badoni deserves credit for maintaining his aggressive approach, with his drives on the up being particularly pleasing to watch. Having performed well in the Delhi Premier League recently, Badoni seamlessly adapted to the challenges posed by the red ball. Unfortunately, he fell against the run of play, getting caught down the leg side while attempting a pull off pacer Mukhtar Hussain. Badoni’s dismissal mirrored the day for North batters like Shubham Khajuria (26), Ankit Kumar (30), Yash Dhull (39), and Nishant Sindhu (47), who couldn’t convert their starts despite scoring at a decent pace.
Is Mukesh Kumar Injured?
India pacer Mukesh Kumar faced a moment of concern as he had to spend nine overs off the field to attend to his hamstring between the first and second sessions. However, Mukesh returned during the middle session, easing East Zone’s worries, as their bowlers had conceded plenty of runs initially, with North Zone scoring 139 runs in 34 overs despite losing three wickets. All three wickets were taken by 21-year-old Manishi from Jamshedpur, who utilised accurate deliveries to exploit batters’ mistakes.
(With inputs from PTI)
Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes cricket content, havin…Read More
Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes cricket content, havin… Read More
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