Bengaluru, Sept. 1 -- East Zone defeated Central Zone by four wickets in a thrilling first semifinal of the Duleep Trophy at the BCCI Centre of Excellence here on Tuesday to book their place in the final.

Chasing 159 for victory, East Zone reached 162/6 in 39.3 overs, with captain Ishan Kishan leading the chase with a composed 39. Kishan remained unbeaten on 39, while Mohammed Shami hit the winning runs as East Zone completed a hard-fought victory.

The victory sends East Zone into the Duleep Trophy final, while Central Zone's campaign and title defence come to an end.

Ace seamer Mohammed Shami enjoyed an impressive outing, finishing with five wickets in the match as he continued to make a strong case for a return to the Indian team and...