Danish Malewar retires out after 203, Auqib Dar's hat-trick takes spotlight

The second day of the ongoing Duleep Trophy quarterfinal fixtures brought plenty of drama and standout performances. Central Zone’s Danish Malewar stole the show with a brilliant double century before retiring himself out, while North Zone pacer Auqib Nabi Dar produced a stunning hat-trick to put his team firmly in control.

Malewar’s innings set the tone for Central Zone as they declared their first innings at a massive 532 for 4. His composed knock frustrated the bowlers and allowed the rest of the batting unit to play freely. Once the foundation was built, the bowlers took over in the evening session. Aditya Thakare and Harsh Dubey combined to dismantle half of the opposition’s batting order by stumps on Day 2.

One disappointment for Central was left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who bowled tirelessly but without reward. The Indian international sent down 20 overs, more than any of his teammates, but failed to pick up a wicket. Kuldeep will be eager to bounce back on Day 3 and make an impact as the match progresses.

Auqib Dar, North Zone’s Hat-Trick Hero

In the other fixture, North Zone delivered a strong all-round bowling performance against East Zone, with pacer Auqib Dar grabbing the spotlight. The Jammu and Kashmir bowler picked up a hat-trick to wipe out the tail, completing a brilliant five-wicket haul. His efforts ensured East Zone was bowled out for just 230 runs in the 57th over.

East Zone’s batting card told a story of wasted opportunities. Virat Singh was the lone bright spot with a half-century, while promising starts from Riyan Parag and Kumar Kushagra ended prematurely. The Indian pace duo of Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana also played key roles, striking early to remove East’s top order and setting the stage for Dar’s late burst.

By the close of play, North Zone had not only gained a psychological edge but also underlined the strength of their fast-bowling attack. With Malewar’s double ton dominating one match and Dar’s hat-trick defining the other, Day 2 of the Duleep Trophy proved to be one for the record books.