Left-arm spinners Abid Mushtaq and Nishant Sindhu needed only 6.3 overs on the day 4 morning to wrap up West Zone’s innings as North Zone completed a 52-run win and booked their place in the Duleep Trophy semi-finals.West, chasing 287 for victory, resumed the final day at 220/7 with Urvil Patel on 25 and Tanush Kotian yet to score. But they could add only 14 runs before being bowled out for 234 in 57.3 overs.Mushtaq, who had figures of 4/60 from 22 overs, got things moving by dismissing Kotian. He then removed Tushar Deshpande for five after the batter had faced 18 balls. Deshpande was caught by Abdul Samad.Mushtaq came close to completing a second five-wicket haul in the match, but it was Sindhu who ended West’s resistance by trapping Urvil Patel lbw.Mushtaq was named Player of the Match for his match figures of 9/99.The game had turned in North Zone’s favour on the third day when West captain Ruturaj Gaikwad was run out for 66 off 70 balls. Gaikwad had added 111 runs with Musheer Khan, who made 96.West were 195/3 at that stage and appeared to be in control of the chase. But they lost Gaikwad and Musheer among four wickets in less than seven overs, adding only 25 runs during that period. They ended the third day in a difficult position.With several deliveries keeping low on the pitch, West’s task on the final day was difficult. They needed 67 runs with only three wickets left.North Zone will now face South Zone in the semi-final, while East Zone will meet Central Zone. Both semi-finals begin at the COE from August 30.Before the match, North Zone coaches Ajay Sharma and Sarandeep Singh made a controversial selection call by leaving out Sanat Sangwan, the third-highest run-scorer in the last Ranji Trophy season with 828 runs.Yash Dhull was picked in his place despite having scored 381 runs in the previous Ranji Trophy season.Dhull made nine and zero in the two innings.Brief Scores: North Zone 251 and 222. West Zone 187 and 234 all out (Musheer Khan 96, Ruturaj Gaikwad 66; Abid Mushtaq 4/60).
