Kamboj, Suthar guide India 'A' home after Pant's 90

India 'A' squeezed home to a nervy three-wicket victory over South Africa 'A' at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru on Sunday (November 2). The hosts needed to score 156 runs to complete the win on the final day with six wickets in hand. They got over the line courtesy an unbeaten 62-run stand between Anshul Kamboj (37*) and Manav Suthar (20*).

The hosts, who conceded a big 75-run lead after the first innings, needed comeback man Rishabh Pant to do a bulk of the scoring in the chase and the captain duly responded with a solid 90. He began the final day on 64 and by the end of the first over had knocked off 14 more runs. The second ball of the day from Okhule Cele was handsomely lofted over extra cover for six before following that with a couple of beautifully guided fours through the offside.

At the other hand, Ayush Badoni opened the day with a couple of delectable boundaries, one of which earned Pant's applause from the other end. The visitors, however, offered the India A captain a second reprieve in the innings when Senokwane put him down at short fine in Prenelan Subrayen's first over. But the latest miss cost South Africa 'A' just 10 more runs as Tiaan van Vuuren had Pant caught with a short-of-length delivery that drew an awkward response and resulted in a sharp catch in the slips.

Doubling the visitors' delight, van Vuuren also picked up Badoni with a short ball, whose attempts at a pull found deep square leg. South Africa kept with the short-ball ploy and Lutho Sipamla added the wicket of Tanush Kotian as India A fell to 215 for 7, still 60 runs adrift of the target. India A had managed 97 runs in the first session of play but the loss of those three wickets threatened to derail their chase.

That is when Kamboj and Suthar got together. While the latter blocked from one end, Kamboj took on the attack against the short ball even if it meant copping an occasional blow to the body. There were a couple of close shaves, with a top-edge rolling away for four and another falling between fielders. Against spin, Kamboj was more assured and slogswept Subrayen to bring the target down to 11.

Suthar held firm at the other end with his unbeaten 20 and the pair was good enough to see the team over the line.

Brief scores: South Africa A 309 & 199 lost to India A 234 & 277/7 (Rishabh Pant 90, Anshul Kamboj 37*; Tiaan van Vuuren 3-56) by three wickets