Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], November 2 : Rishabh Pant's match-winning fifty propelled India A to a thrilling three-wicket win over South Africa A in the first unofficial Test at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, in Bengaluru on Sunday, giving the hosts a 1-0 series lead.
Skipper Rishabh Pant produced a stunning 90-run knock to guide India A to a gritty three-wicket victory over South Africa A on Day 4 of the match.
Resuming Day 4 at 119 for 4, India A required 166 runs to chase down a target of 275. Pant (90 off 113 balls, 11 fours, four sixes) joined hands with Ayush Badoni (34 off 47) to forge a rapid 63-run partnership that shifted momentum India's way.
Pant set the tone with an explosive start, smashing Okuhle Cele for a six and two boundaries in the first over, extracting 14 runs. The pair maintained a blistering scoring rate, clocking nearly six runs per over, before South Africa A shifted gears with a barrage of short balls.
Tiaan van Vuuren's bounce halted Pant's aggressive run, as he miscued a pull shot to Lesego Senokwane at slip. Senokwane made amends for dropping Pant at 80.
Badoni soon followed Pant back to the pavilion after pulling a short ball straight to deep fine leg for 34. Tanush Kotian (23) also looked composed before falling to Lutho Sipamla, leaving India at 216 for 7 by lunch, still 59 runs short.
That's when the lower order stepped up. Manav Suthar (20)* and Anshul Kamboj (37)* combined for an unbroken 60-run stand, showcasing courage and composure against relentless short-pitched bowling to seal the deal for India.
Earlier in the match, Tanush Kotian's 4-wicket haul restricted South Africa A to 309 in the first innings. However, Prenelan Subrayen's 5-wicket spell gave South Africa A a 75-run lead, bundling India A out for 234. In the second innings, Kotian and Anshul Kamboj's impressive bowling efforts restricted South Africa A to 199, setting India A a target of 275 to chase.
The pair weathered testing spells, surviving close calls and half-chances to guide India home. The win gave the hosts a 1-0 lead in the two-match series, with the second match scheduled on Thursday at the BCCI CoE grounds.
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