India vs New Zealand: India ‘A’ defeated New Zealand ‘A’ by 106 runs in the third and final unofficial ODI to take the series 3-0 in Chennai on Tuesday. Shardul Thakur’s scorching 33-ball 51 was nicely complimented by debutant Raj Angad Bawa’s superb bowling display (4/11). After India decided to bat, captain Sanju Samson (54 off 68 balls) and Tilak Varma (50 off 62 balls) both struck half-centuries, but Thakur’s blitzkrieg down the order propelled the hosts to 284 all out in 49.3 overs.
During his 33-ball entertaining performance, Thakur hit four boundaries and three sixes.
Despite a strong start from the openers Chad Bowes (20) and Dane Cleaver, the visitors were bowled out for 178 in 38.3 overs in their attempt to win by 285 runs (83 off 89 balls).
With a four-wicket haul, the 19-year-old Bawa, who shined at the ICC Under-19 World Cup earlier this year, destroyed the middle and lower order of the New Zealand ‘A’ batting order.
The youthful all-rounder finished as the best Indian spinner after taking three of the final four New Zealand “A” wickets to fall for impressive figures of 4 for 11.
Prithvi Shaw was replaced in the playing XI by Abhimanyu Easwaran, who scored 39 off 35 balls, and Rahul Tripathi, who got things going quickly. In 8.5 overs, they added 55 runs together.
Tripathi slapped a pull to the square-leg boundary, while Easwaran struck two boundaries to declare his intentions.
Easwaran nicked one to the ‘keeper off Matthew Fisher against the flow of play.
Samson, who was ranked third, witnessed Tripathi (18) lose with a score of 65. The skipper and the gifted Tilak Varma worked together to assemble an excellent stand.
Without holding back, the two quickly combined to score 99 runs in 106 balls, scoring at a quick clip. Rachin Ravindra’s left-arm spin for a stunning 50 caused Varma to fall.
K S Bharat did not play for very long in the first game of the three-match series before being struck out by Fisher for nine.
Before being bowled for a 68-ball 54 by medium-pacer Jacob Duffy, Samson appeared to be headed for a big score (1 four, 2 sixes). Bawa was struck by the same bowler for five, dropping India “A” to 206 for six.
In the second game, Thakur, who batted expertly, scored a scorching 33-ball 51, rendering the NZ ‘A’ bowlers completely helpless. His forceful knock assisted the host in posting a difficult total of 284.
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