Team Goemkarponn
Panaji: West Zone emerged champions of the BVCI All India Veterans 2026 tournament after edging past North Zone by one wicket in a thrilling final at the Grand Arena Cricket Ground in Hyderabad. The contest went down to the final delivery, producing a dramatic finish that kept spectators captivated throughout the match.
After winning the toss, North Zone elected to bat first but struggled to maintain momentum against a disciplined West Zone bowling attack. Early dismissals of captain Ajit Chandila, Vijay Singh and Vimal Sharma pushed the side under pressure and disrupted their start.
The innings was revived by a quickfire knock from Amardeep Sonkar, who smashed 34 runs from just 16 deliveries. Ahmed Farooq added 28 while Abhilash Kaushik contributed 23 runs to help North Zone recover. However, wickets continued to fall at regular intervals, preventing the batting side from building a substantial total. North Zone were eventually bowled out for 149 in 18.4 overs.
Anup Fulper delivered a match changing spell for West Zone, claiming four wickets for 26 runs. Goa’s left arm spinner Prasad Patil and Basappa Madar also played important roles with two wickets each.
In reply, West Zone endured a shaky beginning to their chase. Khalid Zaman, Aasif Khan and Anup Fulper were dismissed cheaply as the team slipped to 58 for 5, giving North Zone control of the contest.
At a crucial stage, captain Sahil Dhuri steadied the innings with a composed 38 off 37 balls. The momentum then shifted decisively through Shalabh Shrivastava, whose unbeaten 56 off 32 balls turned the match in West Zone’s favour. His innings included five boundaries and three sixes under immense pressure.
The final overs saw constant drama as wickets continued to tumble, but Shrivastava remained calm to guide his side home. West Zone eventually reached 153 for 9 in 20 overs, completing a memorable one wicket victory and lifting the BVCI Veterans title.
