WATCH - Rishabh Pant’s 67* takes India A to 5 wickets win over WI-A in 2nd unofficial Test

Hanuma Vihari scored 68 to keep the Indian middle order bouyant and set IND-A on course to victory.

India A conjured up a very good win over West Indies A team at The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton in the second unofficial Test match. With this, they also won the series 1-0.

After batting first West Indies A put up 302 in the first innings thanks to Shamarh Brooks’ 122*. Mohammed Siraj picked 4/68 and Shahbaz Nadeem picked 3/42. India in return scored 192 runs with Ankeet Bawane top scoring with 43 runs as Raymon Reifer ran through the Indian batting with 5/50.

West Indies A managed to put up 210 runs in their second innings with Jermaine Blackwood scoring 67 and Siraj once again picking 4/64 for India.

India was asked to make 321 runs in the 4^th innings to win the match and after a solid opening start by A Easwaran (33); skipper Karun Nair (55) and Hanuma Vihari (68) solidified the Indian chase with a stand of 136 runs for the 3^rd wicket.

However, when the need for quick runs came, Rishabh Pant and Jayant Yadav (23*) stood rock solid and took India over the line. Pant was the star with 67* in 71 balls with 11 fours, as he took the attack to Windies A bowlers.

India A reached the target with 5 wickets to spare in the 67 overs and brought more joy to their tour to England after the tri-series win earlier.

Key performers for India A in this match were Mohammed Siraj with 8 wickets in the match and brilliant fifties from Vihari and Pant, along with important innings from Ankeet Bawane in the first innings.

BRIEF SCORES:
WI-A 302 (S BROOKS 122*; M SIRAJ 4/68) & 210 (J BLACKWOOD 67; M SIRAJ 4/64) lost to IND-A 192 (A BAWANE 43; R REIFER 5/50) & 321/5 (H VIHARI 68; R PANT 67*) by 5 wkts