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Central Zone's top-order batters mounted a strong response to West Zone's first-innings total of 438, ending the Day 2 at 229/2 in their Duleep Trophy semifinal clash at Chinnaswamy Stadium on September 5. However, Central Zone are still trailing behind West Zone by 209 runs.
Danish Malewar, fresh off a double century in the quarterfinals, anchored the innings with a composed 76. His opening partner, Ayush Pandey, provided an early boost with a quick 40 off just 59 deliveries. Pandey's aggressive knock, which included 32 runs from boundaries, was cut short when he drove a ball from pacer Arzan Nagwaswalla into the hands of Aarya Desai at cover. Malewar then teamed up with Shubham Sharma to forge a crucial 93-run partnership for the second wicket, building a solid foundation for the innings.
Throughout his 136-ball innings, Malewar displayed exceptional control with his footwork and shot placement. A particularly highlight was a stylish backfoot punch off Tushar Deshpande, which raced to the boundary.
Seasoned batsman Shubham Sharma, with 67 first-class matches to his name, faced a difficult period at the crease against the West Zone's spin duo of Tanush Kotian and Dharmendra Jadeja. He survived several close calls and edged shots, but ultimately managed to contribute important runs to the total. West Zone skipper Shardul Thakur used his field placements to great effect, setting up close catching positions at slip and short leg to put constant pressure on the batters during the mid-day session.
Danish Malewar reached his half-century in 94 balls and looked set for a big score, but a loose drive against Jadeja resulted in him being caught behind by Harvik Desai. Following Malewar's dismissal, Shubham and his captain, Rajat Patidar, steadied the innings with a crucial 69-run partnership for the third wicket. Patidar's aggressive play was on full display as he used his quick wrists to hit strong cover drives, reaching his fifty in short order. When play began on the second day, West Zone was at 363 for six. Captain Shardul Thakur built on that score, completing his half-century in 83 balls with a boundary off pacer Yash Thakur. He and Tanush Kotian extended their seventh-wicket partnership to a solid 84 runs before a tight single led to a mix-up, leaving both batters at the same end and resulting in Thakur’s run-out. Capitalising on the breakthrough, Central Zone bowlers quickly took control. They dismissed Kotian, Dharmendra Jadeja, and Arzan Nagwaswalla for just 27 runs, preventing West Zone from adding to their total. Kotian, who had resumed his innings at 65, was eventually bowled by left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey for 76. Dubey delivered a quicker ball that turned just enough to beat the bat. Central Zone’s spinners were particularly effective in the morning session, hitting better lengths and exploiting the conditions to bring their team back into the match.
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