Central Zone claimed the 2025/26 Duleep Trophy championship with a six-wicket triumph over South Zone at BCCI CoE Excellence Ground 1. The victors required 65 runs on the final day and achieved their target despite losing four wickets during the chase. Akshay Wadkar anchored the innings with an unbeaten 19 while Yash Rathod provided support to secure the title. Ankit Sharma and Gurjapneet Singh each captured two wickets for South Zone but lacked sufficient runs to mount a serious defense. The match reached its fifth day after South Zone staged a remarkable recovery through a seventh-wicket partnership worth 192 runs between Ankit Sharma and Andre Siddarth.
Central Zone appeared poised for an innings victory when they reduced their opponents to 222 for six wickets before lunch. However, Sharma fell one run short of his century on 99 while Siddarth remained unbeaten on 84. Their resistance delayed the inevitable outcome and briefly revived South Zone's championship hopes before a late collapse sealed their fate.
Central Zone appeared poised for an innings victory when they reduced their opponents to 222 for six wickets before lunch. However, Sharma fell one run short of his century on 99 while Siddarth remained unbeaten on 84. Their resistance delayed the inevitable outcome and briefly revived South Zone's championship hopes before a late collapse sealed their fate.
