The top and middle order made significant contributions as the Ankit Kumar-led NZONE reached 308/6 by stumps.
Shubman Gill’s injury was missed by NZONE, however Abhimanyu Easwaran is out for EZONE due to an injury.
Mohammed Shami made his red-ball cricket comeback with a wicket, and Ayush Badoni produced a half-century.
North Zone Falter After Fine Start
North Zone had a remarkable start, with openers Shubham Khajuria and Ankit Kumar blunting the opening spells of Mohammed Shami and Mukesh Kumar.
The duo added 49 runs before spinner Manishi struck. He first dismissed Ankit (30), and in his third over, he sent back Khajuria (26).
Yash Dhull, who steadied the innings along with Ayush Badoni, pushed North Zone past 130. However, just before lunch, Dhull too fell to Manishi, leaving North Zone at 139/3.
Badoni Takes Charge
Ayush Badoni then shifted momentum with a fluent knock. He stitched a 67-run partnership with Dhull (39) before the latter’s dismissal.
Badoni continued to dominate, guiding North Zone toward 200 alongside Nishant Sindhu.
However, his aggressive innings ended when Mukhtar Hussain dismissed him in the 43rd over. North Zone slipped to 194/4 with his departure.
The Delhi batter hammered a splendid 63 off 60 balls, decorated with 7 boundaries.
Badoni Crosses 1,100 First-Class Runs
With this innings, Badoni crossed 1,100 First-Class runs in just 15 matches, averaging over 55. His tally now includes 3 centuries and 4 fifties.
Beyond red-ball cricket, he has also amassed 1,582 T20 runs, 540 List A runs, and 963 IPL runs — a strong record across formats.
Match Progression
After Badoni’s dismissal, Sindhu (47 off 70) and Kanhaiya Wadhawan steadied the innings further. Sindhu fell to Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal, while Sahil Lotra’s 48-ball stay was ended by Mohammed Shami.
Mayank Dagar then joined Wadhawan, and together they ensured North Zone crossed the 300-run mark. At stumps, North Zone stood at 308/6, with Wadhawan (42)* and Dagar (28)* unbeaten.
Shami’s Return to Red-Ball Cricket
This match also marked the return of Mohammed Shami to first-class action.
The Indian pacer had been sidelined since the 2023 ODI World Cup, where he finished as one of the top wicket-takers. Post-tournament, he underwent Achilles tendon surgery (Feb 2024).
Shami made a brief return during the Champions Trophy, but missed the England tour and the T20 Asia Cup squad. His comeback here is being closely watched as India look ahead to upcoming red-ball assignments.