02 December,2014 08:27 AM IST | | Shweta Haranhalli
Defending champions West Zone pulled off a thrilling two-wicket win over South Zone to enter the Deodhar Trophy final at the Wankhede Stadium yesterday
West Zone's Surya Kumar Yadav en route his 80 against South in the Deodhar Trophy semis at the Wankhede Stadium yesterday
Defending champions West Zone pulled off a thrilling two-wicket win over South Zone to enter the Deodhar Trophy final at the Wankhede Stadium yesterday.
West Zone's Surya Kumar Yadav en route his 80 against South in the Deodhar Trophy semis at the Wankhede Stadium yesterday. Pic/Suresh KK
Chasing South Zone's 314-7 after put into bat, West Zone were reeling at 174-6 when Surya Kumar Yadav (80 off 56) and No 8 batsman Axar Patel (64 not out in 38 balls) put up a match-winning stand of 70 to successfully chase the imposing total in 47.1 overs.
Yadav and Patel smashed 67 runs in the batting power play that turned the match in West's favour. Though Yadav, who was dropped on nine and 11, departed after a fine catch by Aparajith off Stuart Binny, Patel joined hands with Shardul Thakur (31 off 23 balls) to take West home.
Thakur to the fore
Thakur smashed Ashish Reddy for two sixes and as many fours to bring the equation to two off 18 balls. Patel then sealed it with a six off Baba Aparajith.
Earlier, South's Mayank Agarwal (86) and Robin Uthappa (47) were involved in a century opening stand. Aparajith (56), Manish Pandey (55) and Karun Nair (35) took South beyond the 300-run mark.
