Central Zone dealt with some nervy minutes before sealing a six-wicket success in the last of the 2025/26 Duleep Trophy versus South Zone on day 5 at the BCCI CoE Excellence Ground 1 in Bengaluru on Monday.
In their chase of 65, opener Akshay Wadkar stayed unbeaten on 19 and preserved composure while wickets fell on the other hand, however South Zone simply did not have sufficient operate on the board to permit their bowlers an opportunity to safeguard the overall.
Ankit Sharma and Gurjapneet Singh declared 2 wickets each, with the previous declaring the treasured scalp of Central Zone captain Rajat Patidar.
In the end, it referred when, not if, and Yash Rathod was the guy to assist Wadkar guide his group to triumph.
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The last entering into day 5 was enabled due to a gritty seventh-wicket stand of 192 runs in between Ankit Sharma and C Andre Siddarth. Central Zone were in a pole position to get an innings success by decreasing South Zone to 222/6 before lunch.
Ankit and Siddarth postponed the inescapable and restored South Zone’s hopes of winning the last through a spectacular rearguard act. After Ankit fell agonisingly except a century after being dismissed for 99, a significant collapse in the last half hour of day 4’s play implied Central Zone are now in a terrific position to win the prize.