Overview

• Dhruv Jurel was withdrawn on selector advice after a groin niggle, preserving the Asia Cup standby’s availability ahead of a tight international window.
• Shubman Gill (illness) and Abhimanyu Easwaran (fever) also missed out, with Ankit Kumar and Riyan Parag stepping in as stand-in captains for North and East Zones respectively.
• Rajat Patidar, leading Central Zone in Jurel’s absence, cracked an 80-ball hundred and made 125 off 96, while Danish Malewar finished unbeaten on a career-best 198 as Central reached 432/2 in 77 overs before rain.
• In the parallel quarter-final, North Zone closed on 308/6 against East Zone, built on Ayush Badoni’s 63, as left-arm seamer Manishi struck three times and Mukesh Kumar briefly left the field before returning.
• Mohammed Shami marked a solid red-ball return for East Zone, sending down 17 overs and taking a wicket in a controlled outing on Day 1.