Bengaluru: Abid Mushtaq’s brilliant four-wicket haul, well supported by Nishant Sindhu’s crucial two wickets, guided North Zone to bowl out West Zone for 234 and seal a convincing 52-run victory in a decisive and defining final-day battle in the Duleep Trophy at BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground 1 in Bengaluru on Wednesday, August 26.
The second quarter-final began on the final day with a tense and crucial situation, as the match stood at a decisive stage. West Zone needed 67 runs to win, while North Zone required only three wickets. However, the collapse that began on Day 3 continued, as Abid Mushtaq produced a superb spell of 4/60 in the second innings, finding excellent support from Nishant Sindhu, who finished with 2/59. Their disciplined and relentless bowling attack wrapped up the West Zone innings for 234 within just 6.3 overs of the final day, with the lower order unable to make a significant impact.
The match began on Day 4 with Urvil Patel steady and unbeaten on 17 off 17 balls, as West Zone needed 67 runs for victory while North Zone required only three wickets. The stage had been set by a remarkable North Zone fightback on Day 3, after West Zone had moved into a commanding position through an outstanding 111-run partnership between Ruturaj Gaikwad and Musheer Khan. The run-out that brought the partnership to an end proved to be the defining turning point, sparking a dramatic collapse as West Zone lost seven wickets for just 39 runs. The collapse continued as Mushtaq struck with the second ball of the day, dismissing Tanush Kotian for a duck. The delivery skidded sharply off the surface, beat Kotian’s defence and crashed into the middle stump, giving North Zone an early breakthrough. Tushar Deshpande walked into the crease ahead of Shardul Thakur and contributed five runs off 18 balls before attempting a drive against an off-break delivery from Abid Mushtaq. The ball took a faint edge and flew to Abdul Samad in the slips, who held a sharp catch, completing Mushtaq’s fourth wicket of the second innings. West Zone was reduced to 234 for nine, leaving Urvil Patel and Shardul Thakur as the final pair at the crease, with 53 runs still required for victory. Urvil attempted to counter-attack the bowlers but failed to make a significant impact, as Nishant Sindhu trapped him LBW for 25 off 35 balls to bring the match to an end. With that final wicket, North Zone secured a superb 52-run victory.
Abid Mushtaq spearheaded the bowling attack with superb figures of 4/60 at an excellent economy rate of 2.73. Nishant Sindhu also played a crucial supporting role, finishing with impressive figures of 2/59 at an economy rate of 3.81. The second quarter-final witnessed the dominance of spin bowling, with both sides producing clinical and disciplined performances throughout the match. A total of 25 wickets fell to spin, while the pace bowlers accounted for 14 wickets, highlighting the spinners’ significant impact on the contest. Jammu and Kashmir’s left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder Abid Mushtaq delivered a magnificent all-round performance, claiming an incredible nine wickets for 99 runs across the match. He registered outstanding figures of 5/39 in the first innings and 4/60 in the second, while also contributing 19 runs with the bat in the first innings and four in the second. His superb all-round performance with both bat and ball highlighted his exceptional strength and impact with the ball, as he played a pivotal role in North Zone’s victory and deservedly earned the Player of the Match award. With this victory, North Zone secured their place in the Duleep Trophy semi-final, where they will face South Zone, led by Tilak Varma, in the first semi-final. The match is scheduled to be played at the Centre of Excellence from August 30.
