Mayank-Vihari Star In A Tense Run-Chase For South Zone; Sets Up Duleep Trophy Final with West Zone
South Zone team celebrates after making it to Duleep Trophy 2023 final (Twitter)
In what turned out to be an absolute humdinger of a game, South Zone pulled off a nail-biting two-wicket victory over North Zone in the second semi-final of the Duleep Trophy 2023 at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
South Zone survives late scare to seal place in Duleep Trophy final
The win has also earned them a ticket to the finals where they will lock horns with the reigning champions West Zone starting Wednesday, July 12.
Chasing a competitive target of 215, South Zone’s road to victory was filled with dramatic twists. Having been comfortably placed at 191 for 4, they suddenly stumbled to 213 for 8. With two runs needed, R Sai Kishore, kept his cool under pressure, as he smoked North Zone captain Jayant Yadav for a victorious six and secured a berth for South Zone in the Duleep Trophy 2023 final.
The South Zone innings witnessed gutsy performances from the batters, who continued their aggressive gameplay despite a late wobble. The initial stage was well set by experienced campaigners Mayank Agarwal and Hanuma Vihari, who laid the groundwork for a successful chase.
Following their steadying roles, Ricky Bhui and Tilak Varma took charge, maintaining an attacking partnership that ensured their team was always within reach of the target.
Entering the final day needing 194 runs with ten wickets intact, South Zone made a confident start. Agarwal seized control in a 44-run opening stand with Sai Sudharsan, but quick dismissals of Sai Sudharsan and Samarth R by Vaibhav Arora saw South Zone reduced to 59 for 2.
The arrival of captain Vihari changed the tide, as he adopted a counter-attacking approach under looming rain clouds, stitching a rapid partnership with Agarwal.
The duo quickly doubled the score, forcing North Zone into defensive positions. Nevertheless, North Zone managed to scalp Agarwal at 54, momentarily sparking hope of a comeback. Vihari's dismissal at 43, later on, seemed to add fuel to North's aspirations, but Bhui and Varma's swift 50-run partnership eased those tensions.
However, the game swung dramatically once more as Bhui's dismissal triggered a mini collapse, with Harshit Rana and Baltej Singh striking twice each in rapid succession. Despite the late hiccup, South Zone clinched the nerve-wracking match and set the stage for a thrilling final against West Zone.
 "Jatin")
