In the 8th match of the T20 emerging Asia Cup, India A secured a comfortable 7-wicket victory over the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where they successfully chased a target of 108 runs with 55 balls to spare. The standout performer was pacer Rasikh Salam, who took 3 wickets for just 15 runs for which he was given the man of the match award.
After winning the toss and choosing to bat first, UAE had a poor start. Mayank Kumar tried to score quickly, making 10 runs off 5 balls but was dismissed leg-before by Anshul Kamboj on the last ball of the first over. Aryansh Sharma soon followed him back to the pavilion where he scored just 1 run before being dismissed against Vaibhav Arora.
The middle order didn’t fare much better, with Nilansh Keswani (5), Vishnu Sukumaran (0), and Syed Haider (4) falling quickly. Thanks to Rasikh Salam’s tight bowling, UAE found themselves struggling at 40 for 5 in just 5.5 overs.
The only player who put up a fight was Rahul Chopra, who scored 50 runs from 50 balls which included 2 fours and 3 sixes. Unfortunately, he had little support from his teammates. Captain Basil Hameed contributed a quick 22 runs off 12 balls, but it wasn’t enough to build a solid total. The UAE team was bowled out for just 107 runs in 16.5 overs.
India A’s bowlers were impressive, Rasikh Salam got three wickets while Ramandeep Singh took 2 wickets for only 7 runs. Anshul Kamboj and Vaibhav Arora also picked up one wicket each.
Chasing a target of 108, India A got off to a fast start despite losing opener Prabhsimran Singh for 8 runs in the first over. Abhishek Sharma then took control of the innings and scored a rapid 58 runs from just 24 balls. He hit 6 fours and 4 sixes at an incredible strike rate of 241.66.
The Indian A captain Tilak Varma, added 21 runs off 18 balls before being dismissed by Vishnu Sukumaran. Abhishek Sharma was out soon after, caught by Nilansh Keswani off Muhammad Farooq. However, by this point, India A was well on track to win, with the score at 95 for 3.
Nehal Wadhera (6) and Ayush Badoni (12) took India A over the finish line, completing the chase in just 10.5 overs with a run rate of 10.24.
UAE’s bowlers struggled to contain the Indian batsmen. Omid Shafi Rahman managed to take 1 wicket for 32 runs in his 3 overs, while Vishnu Sukumaran and Muhammad Farooq each took a wicket, but the low target was too easy to chase.
Rasikh Salam was the standout player in this match, taking 3 wickets for 15 runs in just 2 overs. His ability to take quick wickets early on hurt UAE’s chances and his skill was key in keeping their score low. India A won the match with 7 wickets in hand.
The players of India A have done well for their respective teams in the IPL. Abhishek Sharma, the opener of the Indian side has now become a sensation due to his hard-hitting abilities. Tilak Varma who is currently captaining the India A side has been phenomenal for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League.
A look at the playing XI of both teams
India AÂ Playing XI
Abhishek Sharma, Prabhsimran Singh (wicket-keeper), Tilak Varma (captain), Nehal Wadhera, Ayush Badoni, Ramandeep Singh, Nishant Sindhu, Anshul Kamboj, Rahul Chahar, Rasikh Dar Salam, Vaibhav Arora
UAE Playing XI
Aryansh Sharma, Mayank Rajesh Kumar, Vishnu Sukumaran, Rahul Chopra, Syed Haider Shah (wicket-keeper), Basil Hameed (c), Nilansh Keswani, Sanchit Sharma, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Omid Rahman
