East Zone Holds Pressure on Central Zone Despite Early Setback

The Dalip Trophy semi‑final between East Zone and Central Zone turned into a tactical battle after East Zone’s regular captain, Ishan Kishan, exited with a thumb injury. With Vaibhav Suryavanshi taking over as stand‑in captain, East Zone focused on disciplined bowling to keep the opposition’s score in check.

Central Zone’s innings stalled at 81 for 3 after 32 overs, thanks to tight spell by Suryavanshi and his bowling partners. Abhijit K. Sarkar dismissed Aman Mokhade and Kunal Chandel early, while Mukesh Kumar removed the Central Zone captain Rajat Patidar for just 12 runs.

Suryavanshi’s earlier performance in the quarter‑final – 2 wickets for 11 runs – gave him the confidence to bowl a few overs in the semi‑final, a move that surprised many, including Kishan, who was unaware of Suryavanshi’s wicket‑taking skill set.

East Zone’s ability to maintain pressure without their regular skipper has been hailed as a sign of growing depth in the side. The team now looks forward to a final showdown, with Suryavanshi’s leadership under the spotlight.