In the final of the Duleep Trophy at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, South Zone emerged champions on Sunday. They secured a convincing 75-run win against West Zone on the fifth and final day of the match.
South, after losing the toss, managed a modest 213 in their first innings, with captain Hanuma Vihari contributing 63 runs and Tilak Varma 40. After that, South’s Vidwath Kaverappa rocked the West line-up featuring the likes of Cheteshwar Pujara, Prithvi Shaw, Suryakumar Yadav, Sarfaraz Khan and Priyank Panchal. He took seven for 53 to bundle West out for 146.
In their second innings, South did not prosper added a precious 230 more to stretch their lead to 297. Vihari made 42 off 89 balls. West’s pursuit of the target of 298 began poorly as opener Shaw departed after making just seven. Despite the valiant efforts of skipper Panchal, who played a patient knock of 95, West ultimately lost by 75 runs. Sarfaraz made 48. Pujara could manage only nine and 15 in two innings.
Useful contributions for South with the ball came from left-arm spinner Sai Kishore and new-ball bowler Vasuki Koushik. Both took four wickets. Kaverappa of Karnataka was named Player of the Match. He took one wicket in the second innings.