KOLKATA, Dec 26: Hemang Badani guided India ‘A’ to a comfortable seven-wicket victory over Sri Lanka ‘A’ with an unbeaten 85 in the triangular one-day tournament on Friday.
The Indian captain smashed one six and eight fours in his 92-ball knock as the hosts surpassed a modest Sri Lankan total of 200 with more than 10 overs to spare at Eden Gardens.
Medium-pacer Sanjay Bangar (3-43) led a disciplined Indian attack to restrict the Sri Lankans, who had successfully chased more than 300 in their first two matches.
Off-spinner Sarandeep Singh, and pacemen Amit Bhandari and Munaf Patel each grabbed two wickets to make the Sri Lankans struggle for runs.
Opener Saman Jayantha (65) and middle-order batsman Naveed Nawaz (57) were the only batsmen to defy the Indian attack, but their efforts were not good enough for their team to set a stiff target.
Left-handed Badani ensured an easy win for the hosts with an 85-run stand for the third wicket with opener Gautam Gambhir (51).
Scoreboard
SRI LANKA ‘A’:
S. Kalavitigoda c Bangar b Bhandari 0
S. Jayantha c Monga b Bahutule 65
J. Mubarak lbw b Patel 0
R.P. Arnold c Gambhir b Bangar 9
M.N. Nawaz lbw b Sarandeep 57
L.P.C. Silva b Patel 17
P. Jayawardena c Bahutule b Sarandeep 1
MF. Maharoof c Kaif b Bhandari 6
D.N.T. Zoysa c Gambhir b Bangar 20
H.M.R.K.B. Herath not out 10
K.M.D.N. Kulasekera lbw b Bangar 2
EXTRAS (LB-8, W-3, NB-2) 13
TOTAL (all out, 47 overs) 200
FALL OF WKTS: 1-0, 2-3, 3-39, 4-124, 5-153, 6-159, 7-162, 8-176, 9-196.
BOWLING: Bhandari 8-2-33-2; Patel 10-0-33-2 (2nb); Bangar 9-1-43-3 (3w); Bahutule 10-0-52-1; Sarandeep Singh 10-1-31-2.
INDIA ‘A’:
G. Gambhir c Arnold b Zoysa 51
S.B. Bangar c Nawaz b Kulasekera 15
Mohammad Kaif lbw b Maharoof 0
H.K. Badani not out 85
Yuvraj Singh not out 33
EXTRAS (LB-5, W-7, NB-5) 17
TOTAL (for three wkts, 39.2 overs) 201
FALL OF WKTS: 1-43, 2-45, 3-130.
DID NOT BAT: D. Mongia, A. Ratra, S.V. Bahutule, M.M. Patel, Sarandeep Singh, A. Bhandari.
BOWLING: Zoysa 10-1-40-1 (1nb, 1w); Maharoof 6-0-23-1 (2nb, 2w); Kulasekera 8-0-48-1 (1nb, 1w); Jayantha 3-0-13-0 (1nb); Arnold 6.2-039-0 (2w); Herath 6-0-33-0.—AFP