Axar Patel’s excellent all-round show guided India C to a dominant 136-run victory over India B in the inconsequential last league engagement of the Deodhar Trophy at the JSCA Stadium here on Saturday.
Axar’s blistering 98 not out, his highest List A score and ninth half-century, enabled India C to recover from a precarious situation and register a competitive 280 for five after skipper Shubman Gill chose to bat.
Later, the southpaw claimed Vijay Shankar’s wicket as India C stopped India B for 144 for a morale-boosting win ahead of Monday’s final between the two sides.
The start was not ideal for India C as it lost Gill in the second over.
Anmolpreet Singh (23) and Priyam Garg (18) controlled the situation well to gather 53 runs before the latter was adjudged lbw off pacer Mohammed Siraj’s inswinger.
India C beats India B: as it happened
Shahbaz Nadeem’s accuracy fetched him the wickets of Anmolpreet and Suryakumar Yadav (10).
Nitish Rana bowled Dinesh Karthik (34 off 48, 5x4) through the gate as India C tottered at 126 for five in the 32nd over.
Nevertheless, young Jharkhand batsman Virat Singh rose to the occasion and combined with Axar to revive their team. The left-handed batting duo collected ones and twos sensibly before stepping up the attack after the 40th over.
Virat showed maturity while playing some attractive strokes and getting his 10th half-century (76 not out off 96), dotted with three fours and as many sixes, including two off Rush Kalaria’s successive deliveries.
Axar, who consumed 46 balls to get his 50, displayed more aggression to plunder his next 46 runs from just 15 deliveries. His knock had 13 fours and three sixes.
Virat and Axar added 154 for the sixth wicket in 18.4 overs.
India B, which conceded 122 in the last 10 overs, was tormented due to the below par performance of its bowlers in the slog overs.
India B didn’t look at ease in the chase. As soon as Diwesh Pathania drew first blood by castling Ruturaj Gaikwad (20) in the 10th over, Jalaj Saxena, who scripted a Deodhar record of seven for 41 against India A on Friday, got into the act by snaring Yashasvi Jaiswal (28) and Kedar Jadhav (5).
Leg-spinner Mayank Markande grabbed the opportunity on the slower track and bowled wicket-to-wicket to dismiss Rana, Parthiv Patel, Anukul Roy and Nadeem.
Baba Aparajith’s lone resistance ended after he scored his 21st half-century (53 off 90, 5x4).
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