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Detailed Highlights: SA A’s Record Opening Stand Decimates India A in Rajkot
The final unofficial ODI of the South Africa A tour concluded with a high-scoring thriller in Rajkot, where the visitors secured a massive 73-run consolation victory over the already series-winning India A side. The match was defined by a stunning display of power hitting by the South African openers.
First Innings: South Africa A’s Dual Century Masterpiece
India A captain Tilak Varma won the toss and elected to field, a decision the South African openers immediately punished, putting the hosts on the back foot from the first over.
- Historic Foundation: Openers Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Rivaldo Moonsamy batted with incredible maturity and aggression, forging a dominant double-century partnership that remained unbroken well into the 37th over. India’s bowlers struggled to find a breakthrough against their clean hitting and sharp strike rotation.
- Pretorius Unleashed (123): Pretorius was the first to reach the landmark, bringing up his century in just 98 balls. He showcased devastating power against spin, smashing three successive sixes off Ayush Badoni. He finished with an explosive 123 runs off 99 balls before being dismissed by Prasidh Krishna, ending the 241-run stand.
- Moonsamy’s Anchor (107): Moonsamy complemented his partner perfectly, scoring his own sensational century (107 off 130 balls) right before Pretorius fell.
- India A Fights Back: The hosts finally stemmed the flow of runs when Harshit Rana struck to remove Jordan Hermann and the dangerous Sinethemba Qeshile. Despite these late wickets, contributions from Delano Potgieter and Marques Ackerman (16) ensured the visitors posted a daunting total of 325 for 6.
Image Credits : sportstar
India A Chase: The Mid-Innings Collapse
Chasing 326, India A required a record partnership, but despite a good fight from their middle order, they were eventually bowled out for 252 in the 48th over.
- Shaky Start: The chase began tentatively. Opener Abhishek Sharma fell cheaply, and captain Tilak Varma struggled to find rhythm before being clean-bowled by Tshepo Moreki for just 11. When the in-form Ruturaj Gaikwad (25) was cleaned up by the left-arm spin of Bjorn Fortuin, India A slumped to 57/3.
- The Big Resistance: The innings was revived by the vital 88-run partnership between wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan and Ayush Badoni. Kishan brought up a well-deserved fifty (53 off 67 balls) with powerful strikes, while Badoni matched him, reaching his own half-century (66 off 65 balls). This partnership pushed the required run rate well past 9, but kept the chase alive.
- Spin Decides the Match: South Africa’s spin attack broke the back of the chase. Leg-spinner Nqabayomzi Peter dismissed Kishan and then crucially removed the set Badoni, extinguishing any hope of an unlikely victory.
- Final Wickets: The tail failed to wag, with Harshit Rana and Nishant Sindhu falling quickly. Though Prasidh Krishna and Manav Suthar added some late runs, the target proved too steep, handing South Africa A a 73-run victory.
Final Result: South Africa A wins the match by 73 runs. India A wins the three-match series 2-1.
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