
East Zone were crowned champions of the Duleep Trophy 2026 after their final against South Zone ended in a draw at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Although the match did not produce an outright winner, East Zone’s commanding first-innings performance gave them enough of an advantage to secure the championship.
The East Zone batting unit dominated the opening stages of the final after they chose to bat first, piling up 708 runs. Captain Ishan Kishan led from the front with a spectacular 270, while Kumar Kushagra added a century. South Zone fought back with a few notable performances but could not overcome the huge deficit.
East Zone pile up 708 as Ishan Kishan leads the way
East Zone made full use of the batting-friendly conditions after winning the toss and electing to bat. Kishan produced a remarkable innings of 270, combining aggressive strokeplay with the patience required to build a huge first-class score. Kushagra provided excellent support with 101, helping East Zone cross the 700-run mark. South Zone’s Tripurana Vijay was their most successful bowler, finishing with figures of 4/180.
South Zone eventually responded with 336 in their first innings. Tilak Varma fought hard for his side and came agonisingly close to a century, but was dismissed for 99. Mohammed Shami and Mukesh Kumar picked up important wickets as East Zone’s bowling attack ensured they retained a commanding advantage.
South Zone fall 372 runs behind as East Zone take control
South Zone’s total left East Zone with a massive 372-run first-innings lead. Rather than enforcing the follow-on, East Zone opted to bat again and continued their dominance with the bat. Kishan added another 80 to his tally in the second innings, while Md Kounain Quraishi produced an unbeaten 116 to register his maiden first-class century.
Anukul Roy also remained unbeaten on 60, while Shikhar Mohan contributed 52 as East Zone continued to extend their lead. East Zone eventually declared at 388/7 on the fifth afternoon, leaving South Zone with an impossible target and very little time to attempt a chase. With an outright result out of reach, the two captains shook hands and brought the final to an end.
Fans react as East Zone secure Duleep Trophy title
The result sparked plenty of discussion among cricket fans, with East Zone’s dominant batting performance and their massive first-innings lead becoming major talking points. Kishan’s 270 and Tilak’s heartbreaking dismissal for 99 also drew significant attention from fans following the final.
East Zone’s championship triumph brought the Duleep Trophy final to a close on a high, while Kishan was named Player of the Match after finishing with 350 runs across the match. Tilak was named Player of the Series for his performances throughout the competition.
Here’s how fans reacted:
East Zone won the #DuleepTrophy 2026 trophy by virtue of first-innings lead 🏆#IshanKishan #Cricket pic.twitter.com/Ed1iCgBvtU
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) September 10, 2026
𝘾.𝙃.𝘼.𝙈.𝙋.𝙄.𝙊.𝙉.𝙎 🏆
A dominant performance from East Zone in the Final against South Zone to clinch the #DuleepTrophy 2026 title on the basis of a first-innings lead 👏#EZvSZ pic.twitter.com/UOeg59cRpF
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) September 10, 2026
Congratulations to east zone under the leadership of Ishan Kishan to win the Duleep trophy after so many years .. they went unbeaten in the competition .. well done to the Bengal boys for their exemplary performance right throughout the tournament and the other members of the…
— Sourav Ganguly (@SGanguly99) September 10, 2026
Two players have made a case for themselves in a largely meaningless Duleep Trophy. Ishan Kishan has shown that whatever the format, you have to look at him. And Tilak Varma has taken strides towards becoming the all-format player we knew he would become.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) September 10, 2026
EAST ZONE ARE THE CHAMPIONS OF DULEEP TROPHY. pic.twitter.com/BBBifT1iPD
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) September 10, 2026
THE HISTORIC MOMENT 🥹❤️
– EAST ZONE WON DULEEP TROPHY AFTER 13 YEARS.
Captain Ishan Kishan continues to create history. pic.twitter.com/QGVs9qqpo6
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) September 10, 2026
🔴HOW DID ISHAN KISHAN LIFT THE TROPHY AFTER A DRAW?🤯
– Ishan Kishan-led East Zone won the Duleep Trophy 2026.
– The final against South Zone ended in a draw.
– As per BCCI rules, the team with the first-innings lead is declared the winner if the final is drawn.
– East Zone… pic.twitter.com/KzNCXOTmkm
— Sam (@cricsam02) September 10, 2026
Duleep Trophy has once again shown why domestic cricket should remain the foundation for India’s all-format selection.
Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi are among the names who have been in focus, with Kishan and Tilak producing particularly strong performances…
— Bijendra B Rajput (@brajput868) September 10, 2026
13 years later, East Zone wins the Duleep Trophy
— Subhayan Chakraborty (@CricSubhayan) September 10, 2026
Ishan Kishan and his East Zone side lift the prestigious Duleep Trophy! 🏆
What a moment for this team! 👏#DuleepTrophy #EZvSZ #IshanKishan pic.twitter.com/FGYBKLBHe2
— Boundary Bro (@BoundaryBro) September 10, 2026
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