Maxwell stars in thrilling win
India’s batsmen failed to hold their nerve during the slog overs as they lost to Australia A by seven runs in an exciting opening encounter of the tri-series tournament here on Thursday.
All-rounder Glenn Maxwell’s magnificent unbeaten 145 off 99 balls helped the Australians score a stiff 298/8 as Cheteshwar Pujara decided to field after winning the toss.
In reply, India A were restricted to 291/8 despite half-centuries from opener Rohit Sharma (66), Suresh Raina (83) and Ambati Rayudu (70). Australia got four points from the match and took their tally to eight points from two matches.
Pacers Nathan Coultier-Nile (3/37 in 10 overs) did a brilliant job at the death as he got two wickets in the 49th over which was a maiden. India were well within sniffing distance of winning the match as they required 16 from last two overs with in-form Rayudu at the crease.
Rayudu who hit five fours and two sixes in his 56-ball knock was dismissed by Coultier-Nile off the first delivery of the 49th over. The burly Stuart Binny (0) wasted three crucial balls before he became Coultier-Nile’s second victim of that over.
With 16 to get off the last over, it was too much to ask from Mohammed Shami and Siddharth Kaul as they managed only eight runs. Rohit (66, 87 balls, 7x4) again did a fine job upfront and was engaged in three crucial partnerships, of 47 with Shikhar Dhawan (15), 46 with Cheteshwar Pujara (29) and 58 with Raina (83, 79 balls, 7x4, 1x6).
At 151/3 Rayudu joined Raina as the duo added 85 runs in only 12.2 overs for the fourth wicket. Just when it looked that India A were in control, Raina tried to hit Maxwell out of the park only to hole out in the deep by Cummins. After Raina’s departure, Rayudu tried to keep up the tempo as he hit successive sixes off leggie Fawad Ahmed but couldn’t get the team past the finishing line.
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