Sangwan's gutsy knock keeps North alive in Duleep Trophy semi-final

Sanat Sangwan silenced talk of his earlier omission from the Duleep Trophy quarter-final with a determined 76-run knock as North Zone mounted a spirited comeback in their semi-final clash against South Zone on Tuesday. Playing with characteristic grit, Sangwan's 148-ball innings, studded with eight boundaries, provided the backbone to North's reply after South had established a 117-run first-innings lead.

South Zone had consolidated their position on the third morning when skipper Tilak Varma added just 10 more runs to his overnight score of 106 before adding a 42-run final-wicket partnership with Kavuri Saiteja to guide South to 312. The lead appeared commanding at that stage.

In response, North Zone ended day three at 256 for 7, with Sangwan's innings proving instrumental in keeping their semi-final hopes alive. His partnership with Delhi teammate Ayush Doseja yielded 104 runs for the second wicket, with Doseja contributing a half-century—his second of the tournament—to support the opener's efforts.

However, North remain in a precarious position with only a 139-run advantage. To have any realistic chance of progressing to the final, they will need to accumulate at least 200 additional runs in their second innings while simultaneously dismantling South's batting lineup, a task requiring victory in roughly two remaining sessions of play.