Duleep Trophy 2025: Badoni's double-ton, Ankit's 198 powers North Zone into semis

North Zone qualified for the semi-finals of the Duleep Trophy 2025 after the quarter-final clash against East Zone ended in a draw at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground, Bengaluru, on August 31. With a first-innings lead of over 150 runs and a batting dominance across four days, North Zone sealed their spot in the next round, where they will meet South Zone on September 4.

East Zone, led by Riyan Parag, opted to bowl first, while Ankit Kumar captained North Zone in the absence of Shubman Gill. The opening day witnessed an even contest between bat and ball, with North Zone posting 308/6 by stumps. Ayush Badoni’s 68 anchored the innings.

On Day 2, Kanhaiya Wadhawan’s 76 helped North Zone push their total to 405, despite East Zone's Manishi’s impressive. In reply, East Zone began positively but faltered in the final session, slipping from 200/4 to 223/9 courtesy of Auqib Nabi’s fifer. Virat Singh’s 69 was the lone warrior as all other East Zone  batters failed to match the intensity of their opponents.

With a decent lead in hand, North Zone completely threw East Zone out of the contest on Day 3, as skipper Ankit and Yash Dhull piled runs with dominance. Dhull struck a brilliant 133, while Ankit continued to frustrate the East Zone attack. By stumps, North Zone had stretched their lead past 500, virtually booking their semi-final berth.

Day 4 turned into a run-fest even as Ankit fell agonisingly short of a double century, dismissed for 198. However, Badoni stole the show with a scintillating unbeaten 204, supported by Nishant Sindhu’s 68, as North Zone pushed the lead beyond 800 runs.

Though the match ended in a draw, North Zone’s first-innings advantage ensured their qualification. With batters in sublime form and bowlers striking at key moments, North Zone will head into the semi-final against South Zone with full confidence.