Duleep Trophy 2022: R Sai Kishore claims 7 as South Zone take mammoth lead in 2nd semi-final 

South Zone continued to exercise their domination over North Zone on Day 3 of the second semi-final of the Duleep Trophy 2022 on Saturday, September 17. They were 157 for one at stumps in Salem, having taken a massive lead of 580 runs.

Responding to South Zone’s first innings total of 630 for eight declared, North Zone resumed their first innings on 19 for no loss. However, they were all out for a disappointing 207 in 67 overs. Nishant Sindhu top-scored for North Zone with 40, while opener Yash Dhull contributed 39. No other batter from the team could reach the 30-run mark.

For South Zone, left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore stood out with figures of seven for 70. He dismissed both Dhull and Sindhu before running through the lower order. Krishnappa Gowtham also chipped in with two wickets.

South Zone openers Rohan Kunnummal (77 off 72) and Mayank Agarwal (53* off 76) then added 124 for the first wicket to push North Zone further on the backfoot. At stumps on Day 3 of the second Duleep Trophy 2022 semis, Ravi Teja (19*) was giving Agarwal company.

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West Zone on verge of comprehensive win in 1st semi-final of Duleep Trophy 2022

In the first semi-final of Duleep Trophy 2022 in Coimbatore, West Zone ended Day 3 needing eight wickets to complete a comprehensive win over Central Zone. Chasing an improbable 501, Central Zone went to stumps at 33 for two.

Earlier in the day, West Zone resumed their second innings on 130 for three, with opener Prithvi Shaw unbeaten on 104. They extended their innings to 371. Shaw went on to score 142 off 140 balls, ending his innings with 15 fours and four sixes. He was dismissed by Karan Sharma with the team score exactly at 200.

Het Patel (67) and Armaan Jaffer (49) made good contributions to shut Central Zone out of the contest in the Duleep Trophy 2022 semi-final. Kumar Kartikeya claimed three wickets for Central Zone, while Karan, Ankit Rajpoot and Gaurav Yadav picked up two each.

Central Zone lost both their openers by stumps on Day 3. Yash Dubey (14) was sent back by Chintan Gaja, while Himanshu Mantri (18) was dismissed by Shams Mulani.

Central Zone need a further 468 runs for a miraculous victory on Day 4 of the first Duleep Trophy 2022 semi-final.