On the fourth day of the Duleep Trophy final, the East Zone strengthened its dominance in the match. Although the players from the South Zone tried to counter the game, they proved powerless against the huge score of the East Zone.
Thanks to the brilliant play of captain Ishan Kishan and the strong performance of the bowlers, the East Zone gained an overwhelming advantage of 584 runs. To win, the South Zone team will have to rely on some kind of miracle.
The day began with the South Zone scoring 242 runs, losing six players. The reliable partnership between Tilak Verma and Chamu Milind allowed the team to cross the 300-run mark. However, after Milind was dismissed, the momentum of the South Zone started to decline.
Tilak Verma demonstrated very thoughtful play, batting for 211 balls and scoring 99 runs, just one ball away from a century. In the end, the entire South Zone team was brought to 336 runs, giving the East Zone a massive advantage of 372 runs in the first innings.
The East Zone, which scored an impressive 270 runs in the first innings, decided not to allow the South Zone to keep pace, and came out to bat again. Despite two early wickets that brought the team's score to 13 runs with two players lost, captain Ishan Kishan took charge. He played a powerful 80 runs off 98 balls, completely turning the match in his team's favor.
By the end of the fourth day, the East Zone had scored 212 runs, losing five players. Thus, the team's total advantage reached 584 runs. On the fifth and final day, the East Zone intends to further solidify its advantage by dismissing the South Zone. Meanwhile, the South Zone will require a major miracle to avoid defeat. It seems that the final day will be merely a formality, as the East Zone team is ready to fight for the championship title after 14 years.