East Zone Vs West Zone Highlights, Duleep Trophy Final: Kishan's Side Remains In Command, Tilak Scores Fifty | SZ 242/6

Hello and welcome to another blog - we bring the live score updates of the East Zone vs South Zone Duleep Trophy 2026 final from the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai. Stay tuned for further updates.

East Zone tightened their grip on the Duleep Trophy final, backing up a dominant Day 1 with another masterclass to rack up 708 all out against South Zone.

Resuming on 111, Ishan Kishan picked up right where he left off, cruising to a brilliant first-class double hundred before shifting into overdrive toward 250. Severe fatigue forced him to retire hurt, but the skipper bravely returned to the crease after Mohammed Shami’s dismissal, eventually falling for a magnificent 270 in the final over of the day.

Kishan found a rock-solid ally in Kumar Kushagra, whose stellar 101 anchored a mammoth 230-run stand for the fifth wicket. As the day wore on, a frustrated South Zone attack largely lost its teeth on a lifeless pitch, waiting in vain for a declaration that never came. Tripurana Vijay soldiered on to pick up four wickets, but the unrelenting lower-order resistance pushed the total past the 700-run mark.

Trailing by a colossal margin, South Zone faces a straightforward yet daunting assignment over the remaining three days: bat, bat, and bat to try and overhaul East Zone's massive total.

East Zone holds an unassailable grip on the match after putting up a colossal 708 on the board. For South Zone to engineer any hopes of a turnaround, mounting a massive reply to secure that vital first-innings lead is non-negotiable. While their batting lineup certainly possesses the depth for the job, doing so against a probing pace battery of Mohammed Shami and Mukesh Kumar will test every ounce of their resilience on a surface offering very few early gifts for the bowling side. With East Zone's attack hunting for patience over cheap breakthroughs, Day 3 serves as the ultimate litmus test: can South Zone lay down a stubborn marker with the bat, or will East Zone squeeze the life out of the contest and march closer to the silverware?

Mukesh Kumar struck a crucial blow for East Zone, dismissing Ricky Bhui for 1 off 18 balls with sharp assistance from wicketkeeper Kumar Kushagra and young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Bowling from a good length, Mukesh got the ball to jag back in sharply before drifting down the leg side as Bhui attempted a fine tickle. Though the appeal was initially turned down, Kushagra and Sooryavanshi instantly convinced captain Ishan Kishan to send it upstairs after a low, sharp grab to the left. Replays confirmed a faint edge, overturning the decision and giving East Zone a vital breakthrough.

Devdutt Padikkal survives a big shout as the replays show the ball was going over the stumps. Off-spinner Kounain Quraishi pitched it full; Padikkal came down the track looking to block, but the drift deceived him, and the ball hit his pads. A big shout from the keeper and players, but the umpires stayed unmoved. The keeper suspected the ball went above the stumps, and the replays confirmed it.

Devdutt tries to rescue South Zone as he completes his 22nd First-Class fifty. He achieved the feat in the 24th over of the innings, bowled by Mukesh Kumar. Luck also helped him, as the ball ran toward the boundary after a thick outside edge.

That's lunch! It was a mixed session for both the teams. East Zone started off well with Ricky Bhui's early wicket. Devdutt Padikkal and Narayan Jagdeeshan provided South Zone with some stability before the latter got out. Padikkal holds his fort as he frustrates East Zone's bowlers, batting at 58*.

Mohammed Shami Strikes! The veteran fast bowler has dismissed Shaik Rasheed on 27. The ball swung back in from a length and caught Rasheed in front of the wicket.

South Zone in trouble! Mukesh Kumar gets the prized wicket of in-form batter Devdutt Padikkal. After grinding hard, Padikkal throws his wicket away on an ordinary delivery. Mukesh bowls the ball full and on to the pads. Devdutt tries to play a pick-up shot and gets caught at deep square leg by substitute fielder Denish Das. He departs after scoring 62 off 104 deliveries.

The moment it looked like South Zone was trying to crawl up in the game, Shami came and shattered their hopes. This time around, he picked Smaran Ravichandran and broke his partnership of 45 runs with Captain Tilak Varma. South Zone loses five wickets.

After much struggle, South Zone has just gone over 200 total after losing five wickets. Captain Tilak Varma takes the onus for the recovery. Shreyas Gopal is helping him out by blocking most of the ball and making sure not to get out as follow-on clouds are over them.

Tilak Varma First Class Stats (Before this final)

Match: 24

Runs: 1729

Highest Score: 121

Average: 55.77

100/50: 8/6

South Zone loses another wicket as Kounain Quraishi gets Shreyas Gopal, who was batting on 26. Shreyas was helping his captain, Tilak Varma, to stabilise the team's innings. In the process, Tilak scored his 7th first-class fifty. Tilak is unbeaten on 56 runs.

That’s Stumps on Day 3! East Zone remain firmly in control of the Duleep Trophy final after another dominant day at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. South Zone were reduced to 242/6 by the close, still trailing by 466 runs after East Zone’s imposing 708. The East Zone bowlers kept chipping away throughout the day, with Mohammed Shami and Mukesh Kumar making important breakthroughs as the pressure mounted. Devdutt Padikkal’s gritty 62 offered some resistance, but his dismissal left South Zone in a difficult position. Amid the wickets, captain Tilak Varma stood tall with an unbeaten 56, fighting to keep his side’s hopes alive. However, he will need substantial support from the lower order on Day 4. With South Zone still 466 runs behind, East Zone will look to wrap up the innings quickly and move closer to lifting the Duleep Trophy.