Canberra, December 1 (IANS). With the lethal bowling of Harshit Rana (4-44) and a brilliant half-century from Shubman Gill (50 retired), who is returning from left thumb injury, India defeated Prime Minister’s XI in a 50-over pink ball practice match at Manuka Oval on Sunday. Defeated by six wickets.
Early in the match, pace bowler all-rounder Harshit Rana took 4-44 as India bowled out Prime Minister’s XI for 240 in 43.2 overs. Sam Constas performed brilliantly for the host team by scoring a century in 90 balls. He scored 107 runs in 97 balls with the help of 14 fours and one six.
In reply, Gill scored 50 off 62 balls with seven fours, including some brilliant stroke play and signaled his readiness for the second Test starting at the Adelaide Oval on 6 December. Yashasvi Jaiswal (45), Nitish Reddy (42), Washington Sundar (42 not out) and Ravindra Jadeja (27) made useful contributions with the bat as India won the practice match with 19 balls to spare.
Although Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant did not come out to bat, India will be happy with how the opening pair of Jaiswal and Rahul played in difficult times against the new pink ball. Only captain Rohit Sharma could not score big, as he was out to Charlie Anderson after scoring three runs in 11 balls.
Earlier, opener Matthew Renshaw was out to second slip off Mohammed Siraj for just five runs, and then Jaden Goodwin was caught behind the wicket by Akash Deep, taking PM XI’s score to 5.5 overs. I became 22/2.
Due to some more rain the game became 46-overs. But Constas, who was named Player of the Match, was impressive with his brilliant stroke play, particularly hitting through the V and attacking the Indian bowlers, including hitting an incredible reverse ramp off Akash Deep.
He overall scored 107 runs off 97 balls, which included 14 fours and a six, coming at a strike rate of 110.3, while sharing a 109-run partnership with Jack Clayton (40). But Rana brought India back into the match by dismissing Clayton, Ollie Davis, Jack Edwards and Sam Harper, leaving PM XI’s score at 138/7.
Constas found an able partner in Hanno Jacobs as the duo put on a 67-run partnership for the eighth wicket. After scoring his century, Constas was eventually caught in the deep off the bowling of Akash Deep, while Jacobs was dismissed by Washington Sundar for 61, ending PM XI’s innings.
Brief scores: Prime Minister’s XI 240 runs in 43.2 overs (Sam Constas 107, Hanno Jacobs 61; Harshit Rana 4-44) India 257/5 in 46 overs (Shubman Gill 50, Yashasvi Jaiswal 45; Charlie Anderson 2-30)
-IANS
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