Raina and Kaif rescue Central

Central Zone 150 for 3 (Raina 83*, Kaif 65*) against East Zone
Scorecard

Fog and bad light allowed only 38 overs of play on the first day in Amritsar. When play did get underway four hours after the scheduled start, Ranadeb Bose and Ashok Dinda struck three quick blows to leave Central Zone reeling at 9 for 3 in the sixth over before Mohammad Kaif and Suresh Raina rescued them.

Both Central openers, Tanmay Srivastava and Jalaj Saxena, were dismissed for ducks, and No. 3 Sanjay Bangar avoided that ignominy, only just, falling for 1. Kaif and Raina then revived Central with an unbroken 141-run stand, both batsmen going on to half-centuries. Kaif was watchful, taking 115 deliveries for his 65, while Raina was more cavalier, slamming 15 fours and a six, in his 96-ball 83. Seventy minutes after the start play was again called off due to bad light and it also caused an early finish.

The winners of this match will progress to the semi-finals, where they will take on South Zone in Indore from January 26.