North East Zone secure historic draw in Duleep trophy quarterfinals

North East Zone’s spirited batting effort on the final day helped them secure a draw against the star-studded Central Zone in the Duleep Trophy quarterfinals, which concluded in Bengaluru on August 31. Despite the result, Central advanced to the semifinals on the basis of a first-innings lead.

Central posted commanding totals of 532/4 declared and 331/7 declared, while the North East side managed 185 in their first innings. Facing a daunting task in their second, they fought through pressure to close at 200/6, denying their opponents an outright win.

Meghalaya pacer Akash Kumar Choudhary stood out with the ball for the North East, claiming four wickets across both innings (2/103 and 2/44). He was one of three players from Meghalaya named in the squad, alongside batter Arpit Bhatewara and spinner Aryan Borah, though the latter two did not feature in the playing XI.

The result was hailed as a landmark for cricket in the region. A joint statement by North East Zone officials, including Manipur Cricket Association Honorary Secretary Leishangthem Ronel Singh and Meghalaya Cricket Association leaders Naba Bhattacharjee and Rayonald Kharkamni, praised the team’s resilience against a Central side that featured India internationals Kuldeep Yadav and Deepak Chahar, as well as IPL player Harsh Dubey.

“Although the match concluded in a draw, it will be remembered as a historic milestone for North East cricket. Our boys not only competed against one of the strongest teams in the tournament but also displayed remarkable progress, grit and resilience, playing till the final ball with a true do-or-die spirit,” Singh said in the statement.

Officials added that the performance underlined the steady growth of cricket in the region, crediting state associations for their commitment to talent grooming and infrastructure development. The message also called for continued focus at the grassroots to build on the momentum.

Central Zone, by virtue of their dominant first innings, will now face tougher challenges in the semifinals, while North East Zone take pride in a performance that has been described as one of their finest in recent years.