IND vs PAK: India A defeated Pakistan A by eight wickets in their final Group B match of the Emerging Asia Cup 2023 in Colombo on Monday. Rajvardhan Hangargekar was the star of the show for India A, picking up 5 for 42 as Pakistan A were bowled out for 205. Manav Suthar also chipped in with three wickets.
In reply, India A chased down the target in just 36.4 overs, with Sai Sudharsan scoring an unbeaten 104 and Nikin Jose hitting 53. The 21-year-old from Tamil Nadu was in fine form from the start, hitting the ball cleanly and finding the gaps with ease. He put on a 97-run opening stand with Nikin Jose, who made 53, before taking the attack to the Pakistan bowlers in the latter stages of the innings.
Sudharsan’s century was his second in the Emerging Asia Cup, having also scored 100 against Bangladesh A in the first match of the tournament. He is now the leading run-scorer in the tournament, with 274 runs in three matches.
The win helped India A top Group B and set up a semi-final clash with Sri Lanka A.
Here are some of the key points from Sudharsan’s innings:
- He faced 110 balls and hit 12 fours and a six.
- He scored at a strike rate of 94.54.
- He put on a 97-run opening stand with Nikin Jose.
- He brought up his century in the 23rd over.
- He was named the Player of the Match.
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Sudharsan’s century was a masterclass in batting, and it showed why he is considered to be one of the most promising young batsmen in India. He was in complete control of his innings, and he showed that he can score runs against any bowling attack.
This was a significant innings for Sudharsan, as it came against a strong Pakistan A team. It will give him a lot of confidence going into the semi-finals, and it will be interesting to see how he performs against Sri Lanka A.
The win helped India A top Group B and set up a semi-final clash with Sri Lanka A.
Here are the key moments from the match:
- Hangargekar struck in the first over of the match, dismissing opener Haider Ali for a duck.
- Pakistan A recovered to reach 100 for 2 in the 20th over, but then lost wickets at regular intervals.
- Hangargekar and Suthar took the wickets of Qasim Akram, Mohammad Haris, and Mehran Mumtaz to put Pakistan A on the ropes.
- The tailenders offered some resistance, but India A eventually bowled them out for 205.
- In reply, India A got off to a good start, with Sudharsan and Jose putting on 97 for the first wicket.
- Sudharsan brought up his century in the 23rd over and then went on to score an unbeaten 104.
- Jose was dismissed for 53 in the 35th over, but India A cruised to victory with 8 wickets to spare.
This was a comprehensive victory for India A, who were clinical in both batting and bowling. Sudharsan and Jose were outstanding with the bat, while Hangargekar and Suthar were impressive with the ball.
India A will now face Sri Lanka A in the semi-finals on Wednesday. The winner of that match will go on to face the winner of the Bangladesh A vs Afghanistan A semi-final in the final.