It was a total team effort from India ‘A’ as they kicked off their three-match one-day series against New Zealand ‘A’ with a five-wicket win at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln on Wednesday.

Electing to bowl, India ‘A’ bowled out New Zealand ‘A’ for 230 as the bowlers shared the spoils. While Mohammed Siraj picked up three wickets, Khaleel Ahmed and Axar Patel scalped two wickets each.

For New Zealand ‘A’, Rachin Ravindra and Tom Bruce scored 49 and 47 runs respectively.

Needing 231 runs to win, India ‘A’ chased down the target in 29.3 overs. Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal gave India ‘A’ a brisk start as the two put up a 79-run stand for the opening wicket before Shaw, who scored 48 off 35 balls with the help of 5 fours and 3 sixes, got out in the 10th over. Agarwal fell 10 runs later after scoring 29 runs.

Sanju Samson, who scored 39 off 21 balls, and Shubman Gill, who chipped in with 30 off 35 balls, joined forces and the pair added 66 runs together before falling in a quick succession. Suryakumar Yadav then scored a quickfire 35 while Vijay Shankar and Krunal Pandya scored 20* and 15* to take India ‘A’ home.

India ‘A’ will face New Zealand ‘A’ in the second one-day on Friday.

Brief Scores: India ‘A’ 231/5 (Prithvi Shaw 48, Sanju Samson 39; Jimmy Neesham 2/25) beat New Zealand ‘A’ 230 all out (Rachin Ravindra 49, Tom Bruce 47; Mohammed Siraj 3/33) by five wickets