Karn Sharma picked up 16 wickets in the two matches against New Zealand A. (File)
Karn Sharma and Shahbaz Nadeem spun their magic around the New Zealand A batsmen to steer India A to a massive innings and 26 run victory at Vijaywada on Tuesday. The win ensured India A won the unofficial Test series 2-0.
New Zealand A started the fourth day from 104/1 but despite being in a strong position at the start, they failed to consolidate it and could only manage 210 at the end – to go with their 211 in the first innings. The visitors were looking to bridge the gap on India A who had scored an impressive 447 in the first innings take a 236 runs lead.
Leg-spinner Karn (5/78 in 20.3 overs) and left-arm spinner Nadeem (4/41 in 26 overs) ran through the Kiwi line-up as they added only 106 runs losing nine wickets in the process. Pacer Shardul Thakur took the remaining wicket.
Karn had wreaked havoc on New Zealand A in the first ‘Test’ as well and for two matches straight, he picked up eight wickets each. Henry Nicholls (94) was the only saving grace for New Zealand A to keep the inning going but he didn’t get the desired support on the other side. Barring the second wicket partnership of 105 runs, New Zealand A couldn’t create a bigger stand than 30 runs from then on.
India A had swept aside New Zealand A by innings and 31 runs in the first ‘Test’ with spin playing the crucial factor in their downfall. Karn picked up 16 wickets in the two matches, Nadeem finished with 14 wickets.
Stay updated with the latest sports news across Cricket, Football, Chess, and more. Catch all the action with real-time live cricket score updates and in-depth coverage of ongoing matches.
2 min read
