Yashasvi guides India A to victory

LUCKNOW:OPENER Yashasvi Bhupendra Jaiswal hit a sparkling century and took two wickets to help India A register a 152-run win against India B in the last league match of the quadrangular series at the Ekana International Cricket Stadium here on Sunday.

Mumbai’s Yashasvi Jaiswal, who received the man-of-thematch award from team’s chief coach Rahul Dravid, struck 103 (11x4, 3x6) off 108 balls. It was almost as if the presence of Dravid, dubbed the ‘silent guardian’ of India’s junior cricketers, inspired the special effort.

Yashasvi’s performance is likely to hold him in good stead before the Asian Cricket Council’s Under-19 Asia Cup in Bangladesh later this month. His 72-run second-wicket stand with YV Rathod (39, 37b, 7x4) and a 58-run stand for the third-wicket with Sameer Choudhary (62, 61b, 5x4, 1x6) helped the side post 287/8 in 50 overs.

Despite a good start, India B collapsed for 135 in 45.3 overs. Barring opener Vamsi Krishna (40, 72b, 5x4), Sameer Rizvi (34, 63b, 3x4) and K Nithish Kumar Reddy (22, 32b, 3x4), nobody looked good. Spinners Ayush Badoni (2/18) and Yashasvi (2/10), seamers Rajesh Mohanty (2/23) and SA Desai (2/30) did the damage against India B.

MINNOWS NEPAL UPSET AFGHANISTAN

In an upset, minnows Nepal defeated Under-19 Asia Cup defending champions Afghanistan by 25 runs. The two teams will play again on Tuesday for the third-fourth place. India A meet India B in the final on the same day.

Middle-order bat Pawan Sarraf struck an unbeaten 78, which came off 96 balls with the help of 10 fours and a six, to help Nepal post 189 in 49.3 overs. At one stage, they were three down for seven in 4.3 overs.

Afghanistan’s openers Reyaz Hassan (38, 61b, 5x4, 1x6) and Abid Mohammadi (9) stitched together a 40-run partnership. But as soon as slow left-arm orthodox Sagar Dhakal was brought into the attack, the wickets started falling like nine pins. Ijaz Ahmad (57, 96b, 2x4, 2x6) and Abdul Rehman Rahmani (37, 46b, 2x4, 3x6) tried their best to shore up the Afghanistan innings, but the side was shot out for 164 in 47.4 overs.

Sagar finished with four for 29, whereas Kamal S Airee and Rashid Khan shared four wickets between them.