Ruturaj Gaikwad scripted a memorable innings to guide India A to a thrilling five-wicket victory in the first unofficial ODI against South Africa A at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot. His composed century helped the hosts take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series on Thursday.
Gaikwad Anchors the Chase with Match-Winning 117
Vice-captain Gaikwad was the star of the chase, scoring a superb 117 off 129 balls as India A hunted down South Africa A’s target of 286 in the final over. He provided a stable base from the start, adding 64 runs for the opening wicket with Abhishek Sharma before building crucial partnerships through the middle overs.
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Contributions from Tilak Varma (39), Nitish Kumar Reddy (37 off 26), and Nishant Sindhu ensured India A stayed in control despite minor hiccups. However, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Riyan Parag were unable to make notable impacts with the bat.
South Africa A Recover from Early Collapse to Post 285/9
Earlier, South Africa A recovered from a disastrous start after opting to bat first. Reduced to 16/4 and later 53/5, the visitors staged a remarkable comeback thanks to gritty performances from:
Dian Forrester – 77, Delano Potgieter – 90, Bjorn Fortuin – 59
Their efforts lifted South Africa A to a competitive 285/9 in 50 overs.
India A Bowlers Shine Early
India A’s pace duo of Arshdeep Singh and Prasidh Krishna dented the South African top order with incisive new-ball spells. Arshdeep and Harshit Rana finished with two wickets each, while Prasidh Krishna, Nishant Sandhu, Riyan Parag, and Nitish Kumar Reddy chipped in with one wicket apiece.
With momentum on their side, India A will aim to seal the series when the teams meet again at the same venue on November 16.
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