East Zone ended their 13-year wait for the Duleep Trophy as Ishan Kishan’s brilliant 270 helped them dominate South Zone in the finalCheck out the full story below.
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13-year wait ends as East Zone win the Duleep Trophy(Photo: PTI)
East Zone secured their first Duleep Trophy title in 13 years after dominating South Zone throughout the final in ChennaiThe match ended in a draw on Thursday, but East Zone were crowned champions on the basis of their massive 372-run first-innings lead.
The Ishan Kishan-led side finished their second innings on 388/7, taking their overall lead to 760 runs before both teams shook hands at 2:10 pmThe result brought an end to a one-sided final in which East Zone stayed in control for most of the contest.
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Watch: Skipper Ishan Kishan’s 80 puts East Zone in complete control of Duleep Trophy 2026 final
Handshakes in the middle to conclude a fantastic Final
East Zone clinch the #DuleepTrophy 2026 title by virtue of first-innings lead #EZvSZ pic.twitter.com/4DJjNHkAHD
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) September 10, 2026
Mohammad Kounian Quraishi hits maiden first-class century
Mohammad Kounian Quraishi added another highlight to East Zone’s dominant campaign with an unbeaten 116The batter reached his maiden first-class century in only his second match at the level.
Quraishi completed his hundred in 179 balls with a brace off left-arm pacer Chama MilindHe also shared a 150-run partnership with Anukul Roy, who scored 64, for the seventh wicket.
With East Zone already holding a huge advantage, the final day was largely about extending their lead rather than pushing for an outright result.
Ishan Kishan’s 270 sets up East Zone’s title win
East Zone’s title charge had been built on a massive first-innings score of 708Captain Ishan Kishan led from the front with a remarkable 270, while Kumar Kushagra also contributed a century.
South Zone were eventually bowled out for 336, leaving East Zone with a 372-run first-innings advantageThat lead was enough to decide the winner when the final ended without a result.
Kishan also scored 80 in the second innings, taking his match tally to 350 runs.
Kishan explains East Zone’s clear plan
Once East Zone had posted 708, Kishan was clear about the team’s main targetInstead of taking unnecessary risks, the captain wanted his bowlers to secure the first-innings lead by dismissing all 10 South Zone batters.
Explaining his thinking after the match, Kishan said: “I think when you are the captain of the team, the first thing is situational awarenessWe batted for roughly two days, right? Now, as a unit, we know this is essentially a first-innings shootout.
“So, our primary task was to take those first 10 wickets and gain that leadIf we have an innings lead (good enough to impose follow-on), why would I want to step back out in the blazing heat,” Kishan said.
East Zone complete a long wait for the trophy
The final result reflected East Zone’s dominance across the five-day contestTheir huge first-innings total put South Zone under pressure, while their bowlers ensured the opposition could not recover.
East Zone’s latest triumph is their third Duleep Trophy title, with their previous victories coming in the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons.
For Kishan and his team, the draw was enough to complete a memorable campaign and end East Zone’s long wait for the trophy.
