NEW DELHI: India A suffered a nine-wicket defeat to Australia A in the rain-affected second List A match on Friday, despite a gritty 94 from Tilak Varma and the personal sacrifice of Abhishek Sharma, who skipped his sister’s wedding to be part of the squad.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Chasing India A’s modest total of 246, the Aussies were set 160 in 25 overs via the Duckworth-Lewis method after a three-hour rain delay. Australia A had already reached 48 without loss before the break, and once play resumed, McKenzie Harvey (70 not out off 49 balls) and Cooper Connolly (50 off 31) completed the chase in 16.4 overs. The visitors punished India’s bowling attack, hitting 22 fours and six sixes, with pacer Arshdeep Singh conceding 44 runs in four overs.
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While Abhishek Sharma had been drafted as a potential long-term opening option, his contribution was minimal, falling to Jack Edwards’ first delivery. Tilak Varma, however, showcased his class, holding the innings together with 94 off 122 balls, featuring five fours and four sixes. He shared a 101-run fourth-wicket partnership with Riyan Parag (58 off 54) and added lower-order contributions of 34 and 28 runs with Ravi Bishnoi and Arshdeep Singh respectively, narrowly missing out on a well-deserved century.Shreyas Iyer failed to fire, scoring only eight as India A slumped to 17 for 3 early on. Edwards was the pick of the Australian bowlers, finishing with four wickets.The defeat levels the three-match series at 1-1, setting up a high-stakes decider on Sunday. Tilak’s fluent knock reinforced his claim for India’s 50-over setup, while Abhishek’s commitment off the field highlighted the personal sacrifices young cricketers make for national duty.
