IND A v SA A | Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, and Yuzvendra Chahal star in India A’s 69-run win

On a day when most of India A top-order batsmen failed to convert their starts into substantial scores, two southpaws, Shivam Dube and Axar Patel, showcased their potential in the lower middle-order with two power-packed innings to set up an emphatic 69-run on Thursday.

The game got off to a delayed start due to a soaked outfield and the match was reduced to 47 overs. Winning the toss, visiting captain Temba Bavuma opted to bowl first hoping to exploit any moisture left on the pitch from the rain. However, the Protea bowlers erred greatly in length and were punished severely by Shubman Gill (46). He and Ruturaj Gaikwad (10) put on a 50-plus stand for the opening wicket, before the hosts were pegged back by the spinners to 94 for three in the 17th overs. Then, Ishan Kishan (37) stitched together a 75-run stand with skipper Manish Pandey, who made 39. All of India’s top five got starts, but regularly losing wickets meant they were only at 206 for six at the end of the 36th over. From then on, however, it was the Dube-Patel show. 

Fresh from his man-of-the series-winning exploits for India A in the unofficial Test series in West Indies last month, Dube struck an unbeaten 60-ball 79, which included three fours and six sixes. Axar, who last played for the senior Indian side in a T20 against South Africa back in February 2018, blasted his way to a 36-ball 60, courtesy for six fours and three maximums. The duo propelled India A’s total to 327 for six in the allotted 47 overs.

In reply, opener Reeza Hendricks and Heinrich Klaasen were the only ones to make any significant contribution as the target of 328 proved too big an ask for the visitors. Hendricks made 110 off 108 balls, with 12 fours and a six, before he became one of Krunal Pandya's two victims. Klaasen struck a quickfire 58 off 43 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes, but it was all too late. 

For India A, Chahal, who has been down on confidence since his poor show at the World Cup, adjusted his line to middle and off and found good success. He was rewarded with a wicket off the very first ball of his spell, before adding four more to end with figures of 5/47 from his 10 overs. Patel chipped in with two wickets off his slow left-arm spin to grab the Man-of-the-Match award.

The second match of the five-match series will be played on Saturday.