East Zone clinched their third Duleep Trophy title in a thrilling fashion, securing victory over South Zone at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Despite the match ending in a draw, East Zone were crowned champions thanks to their massive first-innings lead, ending a 14-year wait for the prestigious trophy.
The foundation of East Zone’s triumph was laid by their captain, Ishan Kishan, who delivered a spectacular innings of 270 runs off 334 balls. His marathon knock, adorned with 30 boundaries and seven sixes, propelled East Zone to a formidable total of 708 all out. Kumar Kushagra made a significant contribution with a century, scoring 101, while Shikhar Mohan added 85 to the scoreboard.
South Zone struggled to match East Zone’s imposing total, despite valuable contributions from captain Tilak Varma and Devdutt Padikkal. Tilak Varma narrowly missed a century, scoring 99 off 211 balls, while Padikkal contributed 62. East Zone’s bowling attack, spearheaded by Tripurana Vijay and Mukesh Kumar, eventually bowled out South Zone for 336, handing the champions a commanding 372-run lead in the first innings.
With the title virtually secured, East Zone batted once more, finishing at 212 for 5 before the captains agreed to a draw. Ishan Kishan continued his stellar performance with an unbeaten 80, while Shikhar Mohan contributed 52. Md Kounain Qureshi remained not out on 26 as the match concluded.
Ishan Kishan concluded the match with an extraordinary haul of 350 runs across both innings, earning him the Player of the Match award. Tilak Varma was named the Player of the Series. This victory marked East Zone’s first Duleep Trophy triumph since 2013, capping off a memorable campaign under Kishan’s captaincy.
Ishan Kishan, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Dance – Watch
Following their Duleep Trophy triumph, the atmosphere within the East Zone camp was filled with pure jubilation. During the team huddle, captain Ishan Kishan broke into a spontaneous dance, and teammate Vaibhav Sooryavanshi quickly joined in. The duo was seen joyfully dancing while holding stumps in their hands, capturing the essence of their hard-earned victory.
THE MOMENT EAST ZONE WON THE DULEEP TROPHY AFTER 13 YEARS UNDER ISHAN KISHAN.
– The Dance of Ishan Kishan & Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was priceless! pic.twitter.com/cg9smHTWNe
— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) September 10, 2026
