IN A gripping final at the Grand Arena Cricket Ground, Hyderabad, West Zone emerged victorious defeated North Zone by one wicket in the BVCI All India Veterans Tournament 2026, delivering a match filled with drama, resilience and standout performances. North Zone posted 149 runs in 18.4 overs. The innings was highlighted by an explosive knock from Amardeep Sonkar, who scored 34 runs off just 16 balls, along with valuable contributions from Ahmed Farooq (28) and Abhilash Kaushik (23). West Zone’s bowling attack was led by Anup Fulper, who delivered a match-defining spell of four wickets for 26 runs, well supported by Prasad Patil with an economical two for 18.

 

Chasing 150 for victory, West Zone faced early setbacks and found themselves struggling at 58 for 5. Captain Sahil played a composed innings of 38 runs to stabilise the chase. However, it was Shalabh Shrivastava who turned the game on its head with an unbeaten 56 off 32 balls, displaying exceptional composure under pressure. Despite a tense finish and quick wickets towards the end, West Zone successfully chased down the target, finishing at 153 for 9 in 20 overs to seal a memorable victory. The team had four players from Vidarbha namely Shalabh Shrivastava, Anup Fulper, Shailendra Chaudhary and Parikshit Tripathi. Awards: Best Batsman: Vikram Dhariwal (North Zone); Best Bowler: Mohammad Kaleem Hussain (Board President XI); Best Fielder: Asif Khan (West Zone); Most Valuable Player (MVP): Anup Fulper.