Duleep Trophy Highlights- South Zone vs North Zone, 1st Semi-Final Day 4

The Duleep Trophy semi-final in Bengaluru for 2025–26 was just as exciting as expected. Ankit Kumar, the captain of North Zone, guessed right at the toss and chose to field first after a rain delay.

South Zone’s openers Narayan Jagadeesan and Tanmay Agarwal handled the wet morning well, setting up a big first-innings score of 536. Likewise, the stakes were high – a spot in the final against Central Zone – so every run and wicket felt like a big moment in a story.

South’s bowlers quickly took down North’s batsmen on Day 4, gaining a 175-run lead in the first innings. Their openers then steadily built on that lead, making sure the match ended in a draw, but South moved forward.

North’s brave Shubham Khajuria played hard with a strong 128, but his effort wasn’t enough to change South’s lead.

Duleep Trophy Highlights​ First Innings

Jagadeesan made a great score with the bat, getting a wonderful 197 that looked easy against the North Zone bowlers. Help came from Devdutt Padikkal’s smooth 57, Ricky Bhui’s steady 54, and Tanay Thyagarajan’s late 58 – each part adding to South’s 536-run picture.

Nishant Sindhu, a left-arm spinner from North, bowled a long spell and took 5 wickets for 125 runs, using skill and patience on a flat pitch. Anshul Kamboj took 2 wickets for 67 runs, but the bowling was not very strong.

For North, the early spark came from Khajuria, who fielded really well and later took on the batting load.

N Jagadeesan against North Zone in the semi-final of the #DuleepTrophy: 197 & 52* 🌟

South Zone have qualified for the final on the basis of first-innings lead 💯

Scorecard: https://t.co/eIPsr6vs2E pic.twitter.com/sF5QeswYQJ

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) September 7, 2025

Second Innings Highlights Day 4

Chasing South’s mountainous total, North began nervously. Gurjapneet Singh struck early, removing openers and reducing North to 39/3.

Then, there was the partnership that made the crowd talk; Khajuria teamed up with Sindhu for a 171-run stand that calmed everyone down. He scored a hundred with careful steps, strong defense, and some moments of attack, while Sindhu made 82 runs to add to his earlier five wickets.

Rain interruptions and a wet outfield tested their concentration, but they kept North afloat. When play resumed on Day 4, MD Nidheesh’s fuller deliveries breached the defences of Sahil Lotra and Mayank Dagar in quick succession, knocking the air out of North’s challenge. Gurjapneet then wrapped up the innings at 361.

Second Innings – South Zone’s Reply

With a 175-run cushion, South’s openers played freely. Jagadeesan, brimming with confidence after his first-innings marathon, treated the North bowlers like practice net bowlers, racing to an unbeaten 52 off 69 balls.

Tanmay Agarwal scored 13 runs before Auqib Nabi bowled him out. Also, Padikkal teamed up with Jagadeesan, and they built their score to 95/1, pushing the lead over 200 before the captains agreed to a draw.  For North, Nabi’s one wicket was not much comfort.

Duleep Trophy Final Score & Result

South Zone: 536 all out & 95/1 (24.4 overs)

North Zone: 361 all out (100.1 overs)

Result: Match drawn; South Zone advanced to final via first-innings lead of 175 runs

Man of the Match

Narayan Jagadeesan’s name was carved into headlines. His near-double century was the backbone of South’s mammoth total, and his second-innings unbeaten fifty ensured there were no jitters.

Moreover, his ability to switch gears – cautious at the start, then fluent like a jazz soloist – earned him the Player of the Match award and a call-up to the India A squad.

Key Statistics Table

Duleep Trophy League Standing

The draw means South Zone secure passage to the final thanks to the huge first-innings lead. Likewise, they will face Central Zone, who also advanced via first-innings advantage.

Likewise, for North Zone, Khajuria and Sindhu’s performances were bright spots, but the overall imbalance between batting depth and bowling penetration cost them.

Whereas, South’s success despite missing key players such as Tilak Varma and Sai Kishore highlights the depth in the region’s talent pool. Overall, the match underscores the importance of first-innings dominance in multi-day domestic cricket.

Where to Watch Duleep Trophy Highlights?

Fans who want to see the Duleep Trophy highlights can check out the official highlights on the BCCI’s YouTube channel and the Indian domestic cricket part of Disney+ Hotstar (if it’s available where they are).

In addition, you can also find complete scorecards and detailed commentary on official websites. You can watch the final live on Star Sports Network and on Disney+ Hotstar, so fans can see the exciting end of the tournament.

Amit Mishra’s Thoughts

This semi-final was like a small version of the Duleep Trophy’s magic: lesser-known players shining, the game changing back and forth, and smart plans winning over big names. South Zone chose to have only one special spinner, which was a brave choice, but it worked well because of their strong pace bowling.

Moreover, North’s strong spirit, shown by Khajuria and Sindhu, kept hope alive until Day 4, but a bunch of wickets ended their chase.