South Zone have secured their place in the Duleep Trophy 2026 final after completing a comfortable seven-wicket victory over North Zone in their semifinal in Bengaluru.
Captain Tilak Varma once again played the leading role for South Zone. After producing a crucial century in the first innings, Tilak followed it up with an unbeaten 51 in the chase to guide his side across the finish line.
South Zone will now meet East Zone in the final, which begins on September 6 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
North Zone Struggle to Extend Their Lead
North Zone started the fourth day on 256 for 7, holding a 139-run lead. They managed to add another 41 runs to their total, but South Zone’s bowlers quickly brought the innings to an end.
Anshul Kamboj and Nishant Sindhu added some valuable runs and extended their partnership to 60. Kamboj scored 36 before MD Nidheesh broke the stand by dismissing him.
North Zone’s lower order attempted to push the total towards a more competitive target, with Gurnoor Brar and Arshdeep Singh each hitting a six. However, Nidheesh continued to cause problems.
The South Zone seamer removed both batters and completed an excellent five-wicket haul. North Zone were eventually bowled out for 297, leaving Sindhu unbeaten on 35.
That gave South Zone a target of 181 runs to win the semifinal.
South Zone Make a Steady Start
South Zone did not rush the chase and built a solid foundation through openers Ricky Bhui and Narayan Jagadeesan.
The pair put together a 64-run opening partnership, with Bhui taking the attacking role. He struck seven boundaries during his 53-ball 42 before Gurnoor Brar dismissed him.
Shaik Rasheed then fell cheaply, scoring just one run after being bowled by Abid Mushtaq.
At that stage, North Zone still had an opportunity to put pressure on the chasing team. However, Jagadeesan and Tilak Varma kept the innings under control and took South Zone to 72 for 2 by lunch.
Tilak Varma Keeps His Nerve
The second session proved decisive.
Tilak, who had already scored a match-defining 116 in South Zone’s first innings, continued to bat with patience. His approach was simple: avoid unnecessary risks and keep the scoreboard moving.
Jagadeesan contributed an important 43 before Mushtaq dismissed him, leaving South Zone three wickets away from victory.
But North Zone could not create another opening.
R Smaran joined Tilak and the pair put together an unbeaten partnership worth 79 runs. Their calm batting gradually took the game away from North Zone.
Tilak found boundaries when required, while Smaran also attacked the spin options. As North Zone ran out of effective bowling choices, South Zone moved steadily towards the target.
Tilak eventually finished the match in style, hitting a boundary that took him past fifty and completed South Zone’s seven-wicket victory.
Tilak’s First-Innings Century Set Up the Win
Although his unbeaten fifty in the chase sealed the semifinal, Tilak’s biggest contribution came earlier in the match.
South Zone were in serious trouble in their first innings after slipping to 80 for 5 while chasing North Zone’s first-innings total of 195.
Tilak responded with an outstanding 116 not out, joining forces with Shreyas Gopal.
The pair added a massive 175-run partnership, with Gopal contributing 87. Their stand completely changed the direction of the match and helped South Zone establish a first-innings lead of 117 runs.
That advantage eventually proved crucial.
North Zone did fight back during their second innings, with Sanat Sangwan and Ayush Doseja scoring half-centuries. However, another batting collapse prevented them from setting South Zone a difficult fourth-innings target.
MD Nidheesh Makes the Difference With the Ball
While Tilak dominated the batting headlines, MD Nidheesh played an equally important role with the ball.
His five-wicket haul in North Zone’s second innings ensured that South Zone did not have to chase a large target.
Nidheesh finished with figures of 5 for 56, while Kavuri Saiteja provided support with two wickets.
South Zone’s combination of disciplined bowling and strong batting gave North Zone very little room to recover once the visitors gained control of the match.
South Zone vs East Zone in the Final
South Zone’s victory sets up a final against East Zone.
East Zone had booked their place in the title clash after defeating Central Zone by four wickets in the other semifinal.
The Duleep Trophy final will begin on September 6 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
For South Zone, the momentum will be firmly on their side after a convincing semifinal performance. Tilak Varma’s form will also be one of the biggest talking points heading into the final.
Match Summary
North Zone scored 195 and 297 in their two innings, with Sanat Sangwan making 76 and Ayush Doseja adding 52 in the second innings.
South Zone replied with 312 in the first innings before reaching 182 for 3 while chasing 181.
Tilak Varma finished unbeaten on 51, while Narayan Jagadeesan scored 43 and Ricky Bhui made 42.
MD Nidheesh’s five-wicket haul and Tilak’s all-round batting contribution proved decisive as South Zone completed a seven-wicket win.
With the final now set, South Zone will look to finish their Duleep Trophy campaign with the championship trophy when they face East Zone in Chennai.
