India A salvaged a victory in the third and final unofficial ODI in Puducherry, defeating Australia A by 49 runs to prevent a series whitewash. After being sent in to bat, the hosts recovered from a middle-order collapse to post a total of 275 before bowling the visitors out for 226 in 46.2 overs. India A denied Australia A a clean sweep of the unofficial ODI series in Puducherry as lower-order batting revival and some tight bowling earned the home side a 49-run consolatory win in the third and final game of the s.
The home side’s innings began with aggressive momentum as openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh raced to 82/0 within the first 10 overs. However, the momentum shifted sharply as Liam Scott dismissed both openers in quick succession, followed by Ben Dwarshuis removing Arya for 49. India A suddenly found themselves struggling at 118/5 in the 20th over. A brief recovery led by skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, who scored 33, was halted when he was bowled by Mitchell Owen. Fours and sixes came at the whim of the pair as they took the side to 82/0 in 10 overs. But in the next set of 10 overs, India wobbled wildly. Dwarshuis then had Arya nicking one behind for 49.
Suryansh Shedge provided the necessary stability at number seven, playing a match-defining knock of 66 from 60 deliveries. He anchored the innings alongside Vipraj Nigam, with the pair adding 85 runs in 77 balls to push the score toward 250. Although Nigam departed for 40 in the 43rd over and the innings folded shortly after in the 48th, the total of 275 provided the bowlers with a defendable target. Scoring a vital 66 from 60 from No, suryansh Shedge was the home side’s best batter.
Australia A’s chase mirrored the Indian start, with Josh Philippe and Liam Scott putting on 82 for the opening wicket. Once Vipraj Nigam trapped Philippe leg-before and Nishant Sindhu dismissed Scott, the visitors faced middle-order pressure. Despite a 58-run partnership between Lachlan Shaw and Nathan McSweeney, and a subsequent 38-run stand between McSweeney and Nikhil Chaudhary, the required run rate climbed. The visitors slipped from 177/4 in the 36th over to 209/7 by the 43rd over.
Gurjapneet Singh proved decisive in the closing stages, dismissing Mitchell Owen and Tanveer Sangha to leave the tail exposed. Yash Thakur secured the final wicket in the 47th over when Todd Murphy lofted a catch to Devdutt Padikkal at long-on. Gurjapneet finished with 3-56, while Yash Thakur and Nishant Sindhu claimed two wickets apiece, completing a disciplined team effort that successfully defended the total. Australia A started well too but Gurjapneet Singh (3-56), Yash Thakur (2-35) and Nishant Sindhu (2-42) nullified that.
