Canberra, Dec 1 Returning from a left thumb injury, Shubman Gill top-scored with 50 as India beat Prime Minister's XI by six wickets in the 50-over pink-ball warm-up game here at the Manuka Oval on Sunday.
In the start of the match, fast-bowling all-rounder Harshit Rana picked 4-44 as India bowled out Prime Minister's XI for 240 in 43.2 overs. For the hosts’, Sam Konstas shined by hitting a 90-ball century, making 107 off 97 balls, laced with 14 fours and a six.
In reply, Gill hit seven boundaries in his 62-ball 50, laced with delectable stroke play and signalled his readiness for the second Test at the Adelaide Oval, starting on December 6. Yashasvi Jaiswal (45), Nitish Reddy (42), Washington Sundar (42 not out) and Ravindra Jadeja (27) made handy contributions with the bat as India’s practice game win completed with 19 balls remaining.
Though Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant didn’t come out to bat, India would be pleased with how the opening pair of Jaiswal and Rahul went through a tricky twilight period against the new pink ball. Only skipper Rohit Sharma couldn’t make a big score, as he nicked behind off Charlie Anderson after making three off 11 balls.
Previously, opener Matthew Renshaw fell early after nicking off to second slip off Mohammed Siraj for just five, and was followed by Jayden Goodwin giving an edge behind to keeper off Akash Deep, as the PM XI’s scoreboard read 22/2 after 5.5 overs.
Some more rain meant the game was reduced to 46-over a side affair. But Konstas, named Player of the Match, looked solid in his copybook-style stroke play, especially in hitting through the V and taking the attack to Indian bowlers, including hitting an incredible reverse ramp off Akash Deep going for a boundary.
In all, he hit 107 off 97 balls, laced with 14 fours and a six coming at a strike rate of 110.3, while putting a stand of 109 with Jack Clayton (40). But Rana got India back in the match by taking out Clayton, Ollie Davies, Jack Edwards and Sam Harper to leave the PM’s XI at 138/7.
Konstas found an able partner in Hanno Jacobs, as the duo stitched an eighth-wicket partnership of 67. After getting his century, Konstas was eventually caught in the deep off Akash Deep’s bowling, while Jacobs was dismissed for 61 by Washington Sundar to end the PM’s XI innings.
Brief scores: Prime Minister’s XI 240 in 43.2 overs (Sam Konstas 107, Hanno Jacobs 61; Harshit Rana 4-44) lost to India 257/5 in 46 overs (Shubman Gill 50, Yashasvi Jaiswal 45; Charlie Anderson 2-30) by six wickets.
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