The first match of the Deodhar Trophy 2018 between India A and India B turned out to be a thrilling encounter as India A gave a tough fight to India B with a spirited chase anchored by their skipper.
India B captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and chose to bat on a typical Feroz Shah Kotla pitch in Delhi. Mohammed Siraj removed Ruturaj Gaikwad for 2 to give India B an early setback, but Mayank Agarwal (46 with 7 fours) and Shreyas Iyer (41 with 6 fours and 1 six) added 59 runs for the second wicket.
Then Hanuma Vihari scored 87* with 9 fours and Manoj Tiwary scored 52 with 2 sixes and 1 four; while the rest of the batting floundered. India B scored 261/8 in 50 overs.
R Ashwin picked 2/39, while every other bowler picked a wicket each.
India A’s chase was doomed from the start as Shahbaz Nadeem removed Prithvi Shaw (7) and Karun Nair for a first ball duck. Deepak Chahar then removed Anmolpreet Singh for 16 and India A floundered for 36/3.
The resurgence came from a 123-run partnership between Dinesh Karthik and R Ashwin (54 in 76 balls). The duo put their team back into contention, but Mayank Markande removed Ashwin, stumped by Bains to end the resistance. Nadeem (3/32) then caught and bowled Dinesh Karthik for a well made 99 with 10 fours and 1 six.
Then Markande(4/48) picked three wickets to remove the tail and India B won the match by 43 runs.
BRIEF SCORES:
IND-B 261/8 (H VIHARI 87*; R ASHWIN 2/39) defeated IND-A 218 (D KARTHIK 99; M MARKANDE 4/48) by 43 runs