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East Zone continued to dominate the 2026–27 Duleep Trophy Final against South Zone at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. After posting a massive 708 in their first innings, East Zone bowled South Zone out for 336 to take a commanding 372-run lead.
South Zone had shown plenty of resistance earlier in the innings, with Devdutt Padikkal scoring 62 and Tilak Varma leading the fight with a determined 99. However, after Varma and Chama Milind had put together a crucial partnership, East Zone eventually broke through to clean up the innings.
Shikhar Mohan gets the breakthrough
Milind had played an important role in South Zone’s attempt to reduce the deficit, scoring 43 from 68 balls with seven boundaries. Alongside Varma, he added valuable runs with the lower order under pressure. However, Shikhar Mohan finally found the breakthrough with the 98.3rd ball of the innings.
He bowled a full delivery that drifted into Milind and tempted him into playing a drive off the front foot. The ball caught the toe-edge of Milind’s bat and travelled low towards short leg. Sudip Gharami reacted quickly to his right and completed an excellent catch, bringing Milind’s resistance to an end.
Here’s the video:
Excellent reflex catch and run out ⚡️
Top-fielding efforts bring wickets for East Zone 👌
South Zone are 322/8
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/BhTkGWeeoD#DuleepTrophy | #EZvSZ pic.twitter.com/FKDmQcDYG3
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) September 9, 2026
South Zone bowled out for 336 after Tilak Varma’s fighting knock
Milind’s dismissal left Varma with the tail, but South Zone could not add much more to their total. The South Zone captain had earlier held the innings together with a brilliant 99 off 211 balls, including a crucial 78-run partnership with Milind. Varma was eventually dismissed one run short of a century, caught and bowled by off-spinner Kounain Quraishi. South Zone were bowled out for 336 in 107.3 overs, handing East Zone a huge 372-run first-innings lead.
East Zone then opted against enforcing the follow-on and began their second innings. Mohammed Siraj and Tripurana Vijay struck early, but Ishan Kishan and Shikhar Mohan steadied the innings as East Zone reached 50/2 in 15 overs. With East Zone’s overall lead already standing at 422 runs and time running out in the five-day final, the defending side is now in a commanding position. Under the tournament rules, the huge first-innings lead means East Zone will secure the Duleep Trophy title if the final ends in a draw.
Also READ: Ishan Kishan reveals secret behind his record-breaking 270-run knock in Duleep Trophy 2026 final
