Raina’s ton helps India A clinch series
Suresh Raina smashed a century and Sanju Samson hit 90 off 99 balls as India A beat Bangla A in the final game to win the three-match unofficial ODI series 2-1 at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
India A, Bangladesh AThe hosts won the rain-hit match by 75 runs on D/L method after running up 297-6 and restricting the tourists to 141-6 in 32 overs. The target was further revised to 216 from the original 290 in 46 overs.
The hosts began slowly after opting to bat and were 35-1 after 10 overs before wicketkeeper-bat Sanju Samson, promoted to No 3, stepped up the tempo in a 82-run stand for the second wicket with skipper Unmukt Chand.
Raina, tuning up for the upcoming series against South Africa, blasted nine fours and a six in his 94-ball knock as he and Samson, who lashed 10 fours and a six, tore into the Bangladesh A attack in a stand of 116 for the third wicket.
Samson fell to pacer Al-Amin Hossain while man of the match Raina was dismissed in the final over, caught behind off pacer Rubel Hossain as India A put on 87 runs in the last 10 overs.
Left-arm seamer S Aravind celebrated his India call-up with two quick wickets early to put the visitors on the backfoot, while Chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav, playing in his first match of the series, dismissed Mominul Haque and Liton Das quick succession to derail the tourists.
The two teams will play a three-day match in Bengaluru from Sept 27 to 29.
Brief scores: India A 297-6 in 50 overs (U Chand 41, S Samson 90, S Raina 104) beat Bangladesh A 141-6 in 32 overs (S Rahman 41 not out, S Aravind 2-14,K Yadav 2-29) on D/L method.
