The second ODI match between India A and Australia A in Kanpur saw a remarkable display of batting from the Australian side, leading to a comprehensive victory. While the Indian team showcased strong batting in Ahmedabad against the West Indies, the Indian bowlers in Kanpur faced a different fate. The match, part of the ongoing ODI series, witnessed a significant turnaround from the previous game.
India A, captained by Shreyas Iyer, struggled to build a significant score, falling short of 250 runs. This was a sharp contrast to their earlier performance where they had put up a massive score. Australia A took advantage of the situation, winning the rain-affected match by 9 wickets.
After scoring a massive 413 runs in the previous match, the Indian batting lineup faltered. Abhishek Verma, replacing Priyansh Arya, was out on the first ball. Iyer, the captain who had scored a century in the previous match, didn’t contribute significantly, and India A lost three wickets within the initial six overs.
Tilak Varma emerged as a savior, mirroring his performance in the Asia Cup final. He scored an impressive 94 runs, helping India A reach 246 in 45.5 overs. Riyan Parag also contributed with a powerful half-century, but couldn’t convert it into a bigger score. Jack Edwards, the Australian captain, took four wickets.
Australia started with a quick pace, scoring over 40 runs in the first six overs. Rain interrupted the play. Once the match resumed, Australia A was given a revised target under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method. The team needed 160 runs in 25 overs. After Jake Fraser-McGurk’s dismissal, Machenzie Harvey and Cooper Connolly unleashed an explosive batting display. Australia A completed the target in just 100 balls, winning by 9 wickets. Harvey scored an unbeaten 70 off 49 balls, Connolly scored 50 off 31 balls, and McGurk contributed 36 runs off 20 balls. The Australian team smashed 22 fours and 6 sixes, leveling the series 1-1.