Khajuria then found solid support in Haryana's spin bowling all-rounder Nishant Sindhu (82), and together they stitched the day's most important partnership of 171 runs for the fourth wicket
North Zone’s Shubham Khajuria celebrates his century on day three of the Duleep Trophy 2025 first semifinal cricket match between South Zone and North Zone, at BCCI Centre of Excellence ground, in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Pic/PTI
Jammu and Kashmir's Shubham Khajuria struck a fighting, unbeaten century to rescue North Zone, but South Zone remained favourites to progress to the Duleep Trophy final, here on Saturday. In reply to South Zone's imposing first-innings total of 536, North Zone ended day three of the semifinal at 278/5, still trailing by 258 runs. The task of avoiding a first-innings deficit now rests heavily on Khajuria, who carried his bat for 128 not out from 245 balls (20x4, 1x6).
North's innings began poorly with captain Ankit Kumar trapped leg-before by Gurjapneet Singh in the sixth over, and promising Yash Dhull (14) also fell cheaply, leaving the side wobbling at 38/2 in the first half an hour's play. Ayush Badoni (40) offered some resistance, putting on 63 with Khajuria, but was dismissed by MD Nidheesh as North were reduced to 101/3.
Khajuria then found solid support in Haryana's spin bowling all-rounder Nishant Sindhu (82), and together they stitched the day's most important partnership of 171 runs for the fourth wicket. The pair dominated the second session, denying South a breakthrough as Khajuria raised his half-century off 107 balls and Sindhu played fluently at the other end.
Rain briefly interrupted play with Khajuria on 97 and Sindhu on 71 but on resumption, the Jammu & Kashmir opener reached his eighth first-class hundred off 204 balls. Sindhu, who had earlier taken five wickets with his left-arm spin in South's innings, was eventually dismissed for 82 (148 balls) as Gurjapneet claimed his third wicket. South struck again late in the day, running out wicketkeeper Kanhaiya Wadhawan for a duck. But Khajuria remained firm, closing the day unbeaten, giving North Zone a slender hope, though the deficit of 258 runs looms large heading into the final day.
Brief Scores:
South Zone 1st Innings: 536. North Zone 1st Innings: 278/5 in 79 overs (Shubham Khajuria 128 batting, Nishant Sindhu 82, Ayush Badoni 40; Gurjapneet Singh 3/67, MD Nidheesh 1/58).
(With agency inputs)
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