Musheer Khan falls for 96 as North Zone claw back into Duleep quarterfinal

On the final day of the North Zone vs West Zone Duleep Trophy quarterfinal, the match remained tightly contested with West needing 67 more runs to win, having just three wickets remaining. Musheer Khan, West's top scorer with 96, emphasized that they still had a chance, despite Tanush Kotian and Shardul Thakur yet to arrive. North, however, felt similarly, especially after their efforts to chase down the target and secure a semi-final spot later in the week.

Both teams experienced ups and downs in the game, with neither maintaining a clear advantage. The 100-run partnership between Musheer and Ruturaj Gaikwad injected life into the chase. Gaikwad, in particular, played a crucial role, scoring 66 off 70 balls. Musheer relied on unorthodox techniques to counter the seamers and eventually scored 111 off 111 balls.

Gaikwad's dismissal left North in a vulnerable position, allowing the wickets to fall quickly, with Mushtaq taking a twin wicket off the last ball of the day.