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At the close of play, Central Zone had made 556/8 and extended their lead over West Zone to 118 runs.
Harsh Dubey scored 75 off 93 with the help of 13 fours. (PTI Photo)
Harsh Dubey and Upendra Yadav scored fifties of contrasting styles to give Central Zone the critical first innings lead against West Zone, positioning their team near the Duleep Trophy final on Saturday.
At the end of Day 3 of the semifinal, Central Zone was 556 for eight, leading by 118 runs. Saransh Jain (37) and Yash Thakur (4) were at the crease after Deepak Chahar (33) was dismissed in the penultimate over of the day.
Yadav (87 from 181 balls) and Dubey (75 from 93 balls) formed a 134-run partnership for the sixth wicket, which tipped the balance in Central Zone’s favour.
Their styles were distinct; Yadav played with patience, while Dubey showcased flair.
Dubey, the Maharashtra all-rounder, began with a flurry of boundaries, hitting five in his first 25 runs before settling into a steadier pace. He reached his fifty in 62 balls.
Yadav, who was fortunate to be dropped at gully by Aarya Desai off left-arm spinner Dharmendra Jadeja (4/101) when he was on 37, scored his fifty in 84 balls.
Their partnership helped Central surpass West Zone’s first innings total of 438, with Dubey hitting pacer Arzan Nagwaswalla for a boundary, prompting applause and cheers from the Central dressing room.
Dubey, who had also taken three wickets with his left-arm spin in West Zone’s first innings, was dismissed shortly before a brief rain interruption, giving a simple catch to Shams Mulani at slips off Jadeja.
The partnership was crucial for Central Zone, which had faced a concerning slide in the first session of the day.
Starting from the overnight score of 229 for two, Central skipper Rajat Patidar (77) and Shubham Sharma (96) appeared solid as their partnership grew to 127.
However, Patidar’s aggression led to his downfall as he missed a sweep against Jadeja, resulting in a clean bowled dismissal, which allowed West Zone to claim two more quick wickets.
Yash Rathod (2) was caught at slip by Ruturaj Gaikwad off Jadeja and Shubham was run out while attempting a tight single, falling short of a deserved hundred after battling for 241 balls.
Suddenly, Central was at 322 for five from the more comfortable position of 287 for two, causing concern until Dubey and Yadav guided their innings.
Despite losing three wickets for 35 runs, Central managed to score 129 runs in the first session over 36 overs, closing the gap with West Zone.
They reached lunch at 358 for five, needing 81 runs to surpass West Zone’s total, which they achieved in the second session without losing a wicket.
Chahar, after being hit on the hand by Nagwaswalla, and Jain further prolonged West Zone’s agony with a quick partnership for the eighth wicket, allowing Central to pull away decisively.
With PTI Inputs
Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience in digital…Read More
Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience in digital… Read More
September 06, 2025, 21:10 IST
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