Shubam sharma

BCCI CoE Ground: Half-centuries from Shubham Sharma (96), Upendra Yadav (87), Rajat Patidar (77), and Harsh Dubey (75) powered Central Zone to inch closer to the 2025/26 Duleep Trophy final after reaching 556/8 in 157 overs at stumps on day three of their semifinal against West Zone.

At the close of day three’s play at the BCCI CoE Ground 2, Central Zone have secured a first-innings lead of 118 runs, which means they can enter the final on this basis even if the game ends in a draw. Saransh Jain is unbeaten on 37 with Yash Thakur giving him company on four not out.

West Zone tried every option in search of breakthroughs, and even handed the ball to skipper Shreyas Iyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal, but the Central Zone batters marched on relentlessly. Though three wickets fell in the first session, Dubey and Yadav blunted the bowling attack with a crucial 134-run stand off 197 balls for the sixth wicket that firmly pushed their side into the lead.