IND A vs AUS A 2025: Shreyas Iyer plays captain’s knock in Kanpur win. (Photo source: Getty Images)
India A registered a commanding 171-run victory over Australia A in the opening unofficial ODI at Green Park, Kanpur, on Wednesday, October 1. The match, originally scheduled for September 30, was pushed back by a day due to persistent rains, but the hosts made full use of the opportunity to dominate proceedings.
Australia A skipper Will Sutherland won the toss and chose to bowl first, putting India A into bat. Openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh gave their side a flying start with a 135-run partnership. Prabhsimran played fluently for his 56 off 53 balls, while Arya went on to anchor the innings with a superb century. The young opener struck 11 fours and five sixes on his way to a brilliant 101 off 84 deliveries, laying a solid platform.
Following the openers’ departure, captain Shreyas Iyer and Riyan Parag took charge. The duo stitched together a 132-run stand for the third wicket, piling further misery on the Australian bowlers. Parag’s quick-fire 67 off 42 balls included several aggressive strokes, while Iyer showcased his class with a sparkling 110 from just 83 balls, laced with 12 fours and four sixes. Ayush Badoni added the finishing touches with an unbeaten 50 off 27 deliveries as the Indians stormed to a massive 413 for 6 in their allotted 50 overs. Sutherland was the only bowler to make any impact, finishing with 2 for 73.
Chasing a mammoth target, the Aussies began positively with openers Mackenzie Harvey and Jake Fraser-McGurk. Harvey top-scored with 68, while Fraser-McGurk (23), Cooper Connolly (33) and Lachlan Shaw (45) offered brief resistance. The skipper contributed a fighting 50 down the order, but the visitors struggled to keep up with the rising required run rate.
The middle and lower order collapsed against disciplined bowling, leaving them all out well short of the target. The left-arm spinner Nishant Sindhu was the pick of the bowlers, claiming 4 for 50 to break Australia A’s backbone. With this emphatic win, the hosts have taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The second match between the two sides will be played at the same venue on Friday, October 3.
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