India ‘A’ team beat Australia ‘A’ by four-wickets to win the Paytm Triangular Series in Chennai. Chasing 227, Gurkeerat Singh Mann scored an unbeaten 87 off 85 balls to take the home team to victory in the final.
The Unmukt Chand-led team restricted Australia ‘A’ for 226 for nine after the visitors opted to bat in the final encounter of the one-day series. The Usman Khawaja-led team, who were unbeaten in the league phase got off to a good start with the captain and Joe Burns adding 82 for the opening stand until Mann removed the latter. 56 runs later, Karn Sharma claimed Travis Head while Karun Nair followed up with the wicket of Christopher Lynn. Couple of overs later Karn accounted for the opener for 76 to triggering a mini collapse. In his next he sent back Wade to leave the team on 164 for five.
The rest of the line-up then struggled to make sizeable contributions as they looked to set India ‘A’ a target. Axar Patel finished with two for 25 while Karn picked three for 37 and Mann took two 42 to keep the opposition in check.
Chasing the modest total, Mayank Agarwal was run out for 32 with India ‘A’ on 59. Ashton Agar then followed up with the wicket of Chand and Manish Pandey while Nathan Coulter-Nile dismissed Karun Nair. And with Kedar Jadhav being sent back by Adam Zampa the home team were struggling on 108 five.
Mann then shouldered the responsibility of seeing India ‘A’ through to the finish line with an unbeaten knock in alliance with the lower middle-order. Patel chipped in with a vital 16 off 21 while Sanju Samson contributed 24* off 42 towards the winning cause.
