After a thrilling four-day encounter between India A and New Zealand, the test finally ended in India’s favour as New Zealand A failed on Sunday to hold out in the last session of the third and final test which India A won by 113 runs to claim the series 1-0.
The visitors were dismissed for 302 in their second innings as India enjoyed the favourable end of the test series.
Joe Carter, the star of the final day slammed a hundred (111) and tried his best to make sure New Zealand does not lose the match. However, due to lack of support from other end he eventually got out on 111 and as after his departure, New Zealand A lost the game.
IND A Vs NZ A 3rd test Match Highlights
After opting to bat, India A side posted a decent total on board in their first innings of 293.
The star of India’s innings was Ruturaj Gaikwad, who plays for Chennai Super Kings in IPL under MS Dhoni. Gaikwad smashed a brilliant century that helped India record a modest total.
Apart from him, it was the wicket-keeper batter Upendra Yadav impressed the most during the first innings as his knock of 76 was crucial to help India A remain in the game.
New Zealand were bundled out for 237 in their first innings, courtesy of dominating bowling performance of Indian bowlers.
Saurabh Kumar bagged four wickets for India in first innings, Rahul Chahar 3, Mukesh Kumar 2, and Shardul Thakur took a single wicket.
With 56-run lead in hand, India were aiming to set a big target for the visitors, and they did exactly the same.
Their top-order batter except Abhimanyu Eswaran, scored majority of the runs for their side and importantly they laid a good foundation of a valuable total.
The skipper Priyank Panchal played a knock of 62, while the first innings centurion missed his well-deserved second hundred of the game by six runs.
Rajat Patidar, however, didn’t make any mistake and recorded a century and remained unbeaten as India declared their second innings on 359 for 7 and asked the visitors chase a big total of 416 runs.
New Zealand ended the third day on 20 for 1 and were required to score more 396 runs on final day to win the game.
Thakur provided the second breakthrough for India in the morning session to put New Zealand on back foot, but Joe Carter and first with Dave Cleaver (44) and then with Mark Chapman (45) tried to steady the ship.
Three wickets fell in the span of 11 over after that, and India were needed only 3 more wickets to win the match and the series, but Carter stood tall in front of India’s victory in the final session of the day.
When New Zealand passed the 300-mark, Indian skipper approached the four-wicket taker in the first innings Saurabh Kumar, and he didn’t disappoint his captain. First, he removed the well-set Joe Carter, and then the last man to hand India a victory in the third and final test of the series.
Saurabh clinched his five-wicket haul with a remarkable spell during the last session of the match.
