Duleep Trophy 2023 Quarter-finals, Day 4 round-up: Saurabh Kumar claims 8-fer as Central Zone beat East Zone by 170 runs 

Left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar finished with figures of 8/64 in the second innings as East Zone beat Central Zone by 170 runs in quarter-final 1 of Duleep Trophy 2023 at the KSCA Cricket Ground in Alur on Saturday, July 1.

After setting East Zone a target of 300 runs, Central Zone had reduced their opposition to 69/6 by stumps on Day 3, with Kumar taking four of those wickets. The 30-year-old ran through the East Zone lower order on Day 4.

Kumar dismissed Riyan Parag for 14, trapping him leg before. Shahbaz Nadeem and Akash Deep were cleaned up for 14 and 24 respectively. Kumar then sent back the last-man Ishan Porel for a duck to bowl Central Zone to victory. East Zone were all out for 129 in 41.2 overs.

Central Zone will now face West Zone in the first semi-final in Alur from July 5 to 8.

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North Zone register a massive 511-run triumph in quarter-final 2 of Duleep Trophy 2023

In the second quarter-final of Duleep Trophy 2023 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, North Zone registered an emphatic 511-run win over North East Zone. Having set a mammoth target of 666, North Zone bundled out North East Zone for 154 in 47.5 overs.

Resuming their second innings on 58/3, North East Zone lost Langlonyamba Meitan Keishangbam for 13 via a run-out. Nilesh Lamichaney scored 27 before falling to Nishant Sindhu. Palzor Tamang’s resistance ended on 40 as he was dismissed by Pulkit Narang.

Narang also sent back Prafullomani Singh (0), Pheiroijam Jotin (5), and Dippu Sangma (6) to finish with figures of 4/43. At the other end, Sindhu got the wicket of opposition skipper Rongsen Jonathan for 11 and ended with figures of 2/25 from seven overs. North Zone skipper Jayant Yadav also chipped in with the wicket of Imliwati Lemtur (5).

Sindhu (150 & 2/25) was named Player of the Match for his impressive all-round performance.

North Zone will now meet South Zone in the second semi-final of the Duleep Trophy 2023 in Bengaluru from July 5 to 8.