North arrived in the last four after producing a determined 52-run victory over West Zone in a closely fought quarter-final. Their success was built around a strong bowling performance, with Abid Mushtaq emerging as the key figure. The Jammu & Kashmir spinner claimed five wickets in the first innings and followed it with another four in the second to play a decisive role in North’s victory.
Nishant Sindhu also made a valuable contribution, sharing six wickets with Mushtaq across the match. With the bat, Anshul Kamboj’s late 60 helped North reach 251 in the first innings, while Ayush Badoni’s half-century and Sindhu’s 44 in the second innings helped them set West Zone a target of 286.
South Zone, though, will enter the contest with considerable firepower. The team is led by India T20I vice-captain Tilak Varma, who brings international experience and leadership to the side. South also have seasoned domestic performers such as Karun Nair and Shreyas Gopal, while wicketkeeper-batter Narayan Jagadeesan and Ricky Bhui add further depth.
The contest could therefore become a battle between North’s disciplined bowling attack and South’s stronger-looking batting unit. Mushtaq and Sindhu will again be crucial for North, while South will look to its experienced core to handle the pressure of a knockout game.
With both teams just one win away from the final, the semifinal promises to be a closely fought contest.
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