Ruturaj Gaikwad’s unbeaten 68 guided India A to a commanding nine-wicket victory over South Africa A in the second unofficial ODI on Sunday, giving the hosts an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
India A’s bowlers set the tone early, with pacer Harshit Rana claiming 3/21 and left-arm spinner Nishant Sindhu taking 4/16 to bowl out South Africa A for a mere 132 in 20.3 overs. No batter managed to score more than 40, with opener and wicketkeeper Rivaldo Moonsamy top-scoring with 33 runs off 34 balls.
Chasing the modest target, India A got off to a flying start as Abhishek Sharma (32 off 22 balls) and Gaikwad put on a 53-run opening stand in just 8.1 overs. Sharma was eventually dismissed by Lutho Sipamla, caught by Luhan Dre Pretorious, giving South Africa A a brief glimmer of hope.
However, Gaikwad and skipper Tilak Verma (29 not out) calmly steered the innings home, with Gaikwad sealing the victory with a boundary off off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen.
The comprehensive win showcased India A’s dominance with both bat and ball, highlighting their depth and quality ahead of the final match of the series.
(By PTI Inputs)
