Mayank Agarwal’s impressive knock of 98 laid the groundwork for South Zone’s tense 12-run victory over West Zone in a thrilling Deodhar Trophy encounter held in Puducherry on Wednesday. This crucial win propelled South Zone to the top of the tournament standings. In a match where bowlers dominated, Agarwal showcased his batting prowess, scoring 98 runs off 115 balls to guide his team to a total of 206.
Agarwal’s elegant strokeplay predominantly targeted the off-side, with 55 runs coming from that area. He expertly maneuvered the ball, hitting nine boundaries, with five of them finding the fence through third man, behind the point, and the cover regions. Together with KB Arun Karthick (23), Agarwal stitched a crucial 50-run partnership for the fifth wicket in a little over nine overs.
While a century would have been the cherry on top, it eluded Agarwal as he fell to the left-arm spin of Saurashtra’s Parth Bhut. Bhut was the standout performer for West Zone, taking three wickets for just 25 runs in his 10-over spell.
Defending a modest total of 206, South Zone’s pace bowlers, Vidwath Kaverappa and Vasuki Koushik, struck early blows, and the run-out of Ankit Bawane and captain Priyank Panchal added to West Zone’s troubles.
However, West Zone’s middle-order comprising Sarfaraz Khan (42), Shivam Dube (29), and Atit Sheth (40) showed some resilience, putting together a 65-run partnership for the sixth wicket to take their team to 163 for five. Nevertheless, South Zone’s spinners, R Sai Kishore and Washington Sundar, rose to the occasion, picking up five crucial wickets between them, ensuring West Zone fell short of the target. With this victory, South Zone secured four valuable points, taking their tally to eight points from two matches. Captain Mayank Agarwal’s superb innings played a pivotal role in placing South Zone in a comfortable position at the top of the Deodhar Trophy standings.
