With this result, South Zone set up a repeat of the 2022 title clash against defending champions West Zone in the much-anticipated final.
Chasing a target of 215 runs, South Zone found themselves in a commanding position thanks to the aggressive knocks played by Mayank Agarwal (54 runs off 57 balls) and skipper Hanuma Vihari (43 runs off 42 balls).
However, the pace trio of Harshit Rana, Baltej Singh, and Vaibhav Arora orchestrated timely breakthroughs for North Zone. Captain Jayant Yadav snared the prized wicket of Agarwal, inflicting a momentary setback on South Zone’s pursuit of victory.
Rain interruptions played a significant role in the match, with the longest break lasting approximately two hours, just before the final session. At that point, South Zone required 32 runs with Ricky Bhui (34 runs off 29 balls) and Tilak Varma (25 runs off 19 balls) in full flow.
With five wickets still intact, South Zone had one foot in the final. However, there was an air of anxiety as they were aware that North Zone would progress to the final due to their three-run first-innings lead if further play was not possible.
Fortunately, play resumed, setting the stage for more drama. Rana and Baltej struck crucial blows, leaving South Zone in a precarious position at 213/8, having lost four wickets for just 22 runs.
Amidst the tension, spin-bowling all-rounder Sai Kishore, who had earlier impressed with figures of 3/28 to dismiss North Zone for 211 in their second innings, took on the role of the finisher. Under immense pressure, he remained unbeaten on 15 runs, including two crucial sixes, ultimately guiding South Zone to a thrilling victory.
The final day began with South Zone resuming their innings at 21/0, and Agarwal wasted no time in accelerating the scoring. However, North Zone skipper Yadav’s bowling change brought about the dismissal of Sai Sudharsan (17 runs), ending the opening partnership of 44 runs. Agarwal’s scoring rate slowed down as Arora struck again, dismissing Samarth R for five runs, reigniting North Zone’s hopes.
Nonetheless, Agarwal and Vihari shifted gears, launching a counterattacking approach that yielded 59 runs in just 40 deliveries. Just as it seemed like South Zone had firmly seized control, Yadav dismissed Agarwal after he completed his half-century. In a quick succession of events, Vihari too fell, failing to capitalise on his promising start.
With the dark clouds looming, Ricky Bhui and Tilak Varma assumed an aggressive stance and rapidly reduced the target to below 50 runs. However, rain interrupted the proceedings once again just before the tea break, with South Zone requiring 32 runs for victory.
Harshit Rana resorted to game-delaying tactics amidst the unpredictable weather, trying to thwart South Zone’s progress. The situation turned tense as Bhui and Varma departed in consecutive overs without adding to the total, leaving South Zone just 24 runs short of the target. Rana’s delivery induced an edge, and Prabhsimran Singh completed the dismissal behind the stumps.
The seventh wicket fell when Rana forced a nick from Washington Sundar. KV Sasikanth struck a six off Rana but was soon dismissed by Baltej Singh. With the North Zone gaining momentum, Vijaykumar Vyshak provided some resistance, surviving three deliveries from Baltej. However, it was the 26-year-old Sai Kishore who sealed the victory with a six off Jayant Yadav, bringing an end to an exhilarating contest.
Brief scores: North Zone 198 and 211. South Zone 195 and 219/8; 82 overs (Mayank Agarwal 54, Hanuma Vihari 43, Ricky Bhui 34, Tilak Varma 25, R Sai Kishore 15 not out). South Zone won by two wickets.
