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Danish Malewar, Shubham Sharma and Rajat Patidar led Central Zone to 229 for two chasing West Zone’s 438 in the Duleep Trophy semifinal.
Rajat Patidar for Central Zone in Duleep Trophy.
(PC: PTI)
Central Zone’s top-order batters, led by Danish Malewar, propelled the team to a score of 229 for two, effectively responding to West Zone on the second day of the Duleep Trophy semifinal on Friday.
Shubham Sharma (60) and captain Rajat Patidar (47) were at the crease by stumps after Central Zone had taken four quick wickets to wrap up West Zone’s first innings at 438. Central Zone now requires another 209 runs to secure an innings lead.
Malewar, who scored a double hundred in the quarterfinal against North-East Zone, took his time to settle before scoring 76, while his opening partner Ayush Pandey (40 off 59 balls) made a brisk start.
The left-hander scored 32 runs in boundaries, but his adventurous innings ended when Pandey’s drive off pacer Arzan Nagwaswalla was caught by Aarya Desai in the covers.
However, Malewar and Shubham formed a 93-run partnership for the second wicket, ensuring the team capitalised on the strong start.
Malewar displayed confidence throughout his 136-ball innings, showing precise footwork and rarely giving the bowlers a chance.
A backfoot punch executed while standing tall against pacer Tushar Deshpande was a highlight, earning him four runs instantly.
At the other end, Shubham, with 67 first-class matches under his belt, struggled against off-spinner Tanush Kotian and left-arm spinner Dharmendra Jadeja.
The West Zone spinners frequently beat his outside edge and kept him on the backfoot, but close margins saved the 31-year-old.
Spinners found some assistance as West Zone captain Shardul Thakur often positioned a slip and short leg fielder about an hour into the second session.
Malewar, who reached his fifty in 94 balls, appeared set for a bigger score but a loose drive outside the off-stump off Jadeja led to a caught behind by Harvik Desai.
Nevertheless, Shubham found support in captain Patidar, adding 69 runs for the ongoing third wicket partnership to keep Central Zone close to West Zone.
Shubham reached his fifty in 118 balls with a single off Jadeja and continued to defend resolutely against West Zone bowlers.
Unlike other batters, Patidar adopted a more aggressive approach, frequently executing strong drives through the covers to reach boundaries and eventually his fifty.
In the morning session, West Zone, resuming at 363 for six, progressed to 411 for six as captain Shardul Thakur, starting at 24, completed his fifty off 83 balls with a boundary off pacer Yash Thakur.
The seventh-wicket partnership reached 84, but Thakur’s run-out while attempting a tight run and ending up at the same end as Kotian shifted momentum towards Central Zone.
They claimed the next three wickets, including Kotian, Jadeja, and Arzan Nagwaswalla for 27 runs, preventing West Zone from achieving a larger total.
Kotian, resuming at 65, managed only 76 as left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey bowled him with a quick delivery that also turned slightly.
The first session saw an impressive performance by Central Zone spinners, who found much better lengths.
(With agency inputs)
September 05, 2025, 19:34 IST
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