Duleep Trophy 2026: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Slams 92 As East Zone Match Central Zone’s 266

New Delhi, August 31: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi missed out on a maiden first-class century but produced another eye-catching innings as East Zone were bowled out for 266 by Central Zone on the second day of their Duleep Trophy semifinal on Monday.

Sooryavanshi, 15, smashed 92 off 81 balls in an aggressive knock that lasted 118 minutes, helping East match Central's first-innings total and deny them an innings lead. The teenager also became the youngest batter to score a half-century in the Duleep Trophy, surpassing Laxman Singh's record set in 1969 as a 16-year-old.

East had appeared well placed at 213 for five before losing their final five wickets for just 53 runs. Harsh Dubey was the pick of the Central bowlers with 4/66, while Yash Thakur and Aryan Pandey claimed three wickets apiece.

Sooryavanshi and Abhimanyu Easwaran had earlier laid the foundation for East with a 161-run opening partnership. Easwaran contributed a composed 69 off 106 balls, while Sooryavanshi entertained with a series of attacking strokes, including sixes against Thakur, Saransh Jain, Dubey and Pandey.

The young left-hander survived a scare on 40 when Yash Rathod dropped a catch at backward point, but continued to attack the Central bowlers. He reached his half-century with a six over mid-wicket off Jain and accelerated into the 90s before falling to an ambitious slog-sweep against Dubey, with Arshad Khan taking the catch at deep mid-wicket.

Dubey struck again immediately after removing Sooryavanshi, dismissing Kumar Kushagra off the next delivery. Easwaran then fell leg-before to Pandey, who went on to remove Virat Singh and Sudip Kumar Gharami in quick succession.

East's collapse continued as their batters attempted to counterattack rather than consolidate. Even captain Ishan Kishan, who returned after being injured on Sunday, could not halt the slide.

With East on 266 for nine, the innings lead was within touching distance, but Yash Thakur bowled Mukesh Kumar to bring the innings to an end on 266, leaving the semifinal evenly poised.

Central, however, endured a difficult final session. Mukesh Kumar dismissed captain Rajat Patidar late in the day as Central slipped to 45 for three at stumps. Aman Mokhade was unbeaten on 23, with Aryan Pandey on four.

With both sides level after the first innings, the semifinal has now effectively turned into a second-innings shootout.