India A win ODI series against Australia A after thrilling chase

Kanpur: A century by opener Prabhsimran Singh and significant performances from captain Shreyas Iyer and Riyan Parag led India A to a two-wicket victory over Australia A in the third and final one-day match at the Green Park Stadium on Sunday. This win secured the three-match series at 2–1, eliciting enthusiastic applause from the Kanpur spectators.

Australia A, batting first, recovered from an early collapse to score 316 runs in their 50 overs. In response, India A maintained their composure to achieve the target in the closing overs.

Prabhsimran Singh initiated the chase with an impressive 102 off 66 balls, including eight fours and five sixes. His aggressive approach, along with an 83-run opening partnership with Abhishek Sharma (22), set a strong foundation for India A's innings. Following the swift dismissals of Abhishek and Tilak Varma (3), Prabhsimran continued to score freely before being caught by substitute Will Sutherland off Tanveer Sangha.

Captains Shreyas Iyer (62) and Riyan Parag (62) then took control, building a 117-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Their balanced aggression brought India A closer to victory, although late wickets heightened the tension during the chase.

Australia's Tanveer Sangha and Todd Murphy were the standout bowlers, each taking four wickets and nearly shifting the momentum in Australia A's favour. At one point, India required 17 runs with two wickets remaining, but Vipraj and Arshdeep Singh maintained their composure. Vipraj concluded the match dramatically by hitting a six off Tom Straker over long-off, igniting celebrations among the Indian players.

With this triumph, India A not only won the series but also demonstrated their batting depth and mental resilience under pressure, signalling positive prospects for India's future in cricket.

Earlier, Australia A's innings was marked by recovery and determination. Initially struggling at 44 for 4 in 8 overs, the visitors rallied through captain Jack Edwards (89), Liam Scott (73), and Cooper Connolly (64).

A 71-run partnership for the fifth wicket between Connolly and Lachlan Shaw (32) stabilized the innings, followed by a pivotal 152-run alliance for the seventh wicket between Edwards and Scott. Their aggressive play elevated Australia from 115 for 6 to a formidable total.

For India A, bowlers Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana were instrumental, securing essential early wickets that disrupted the Australian top order. Despite their initial success, India A had to exert considerable effort to complete the chase in what became a captivating conclusion to an engaging series.

Final Scores:

Australia A-316 all out in 50 overs (Jack Edwards 89, Liam Scott 73, Cooper Connolly 64, Arshdeep Singh 3 for 38, Harshit Rana 3 for 61, Ayush Badoni 2 for 31)

India A-317/8 in 49.4 overs (Prabhsimran Singh 102, Shreyas Iyer 62, Riyan Parag 62; Tanveer Sangha 4/58, Todd Murphy 4/64).