Pandey, Dube help India A take unassailable 3-0 lead

Dube smashed an unbeaten 45 off 28 balls while Pandey plundered 81 off 59 balls as India A overcame a poor start to win the rain-affected match rather comfortably in the end. Chasing 208 in 30 overs, India A reached the target in 27.5 overs.

Manish Pandey plundered 81 off 59 balls as India A overcame a poor start to win a rain-affected match against South Africa A rather comfortably in the end.

As it has been a pattern in this series, India A found a man to bail it out when in crisis and in the third unofficial one day match at Sports Hub on Monday, it was the turn of skipper Manish Pandey to play the saviour role.

Pandey's rapid 81 led India to a four-wicket win and enabled the host to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series. 

It was another truncated match as overnight rain and wet outfield reduced the contest to a 30-over affair.

South Africa A posted a competitive total (207 for eight) and had India A in dumps at 26 for three. But India A wriggled out again as South Africa A messed up its bowling in the middle overs.

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India A wobbled at the start when Andrich Nortje struck twice in his opening over. But Ishan Kishan, who was promoted as an opener, clattered a few boundaries to ease the pressure.

Junior Dala had Krunal Pandya (13) miscuing a pull to set the stage for Manish Pandey.

The Karnataka batsman looked primed to attack from the start. The innocuous spin of George Linde and Bjorn Fortuin was treated with disdain. The brisk 70-run fourth wicket partnership put the chase on track. Ishan's departure for 40 didn't curb Manish's aggression as he added another quick 37 runs with Nitish Rana (13) for fifth wicket. However, Manish holed out when a century was for his taking. But Shivam Dube took over the role of the  finisher and his unbeaten 45 ensured that the host reached the target without any further loss.

Earlier, most of the  South African top order batsmen got starts but failed to convert it into big scores. It was again left to Heinrich Klassen (48) to give impetus to the innings. The visitor finished strongly but India-A targeted the weak links in the South African attack to romp home.