Usman Khawaja's unbeaten ton helps Australia A overpower India B to enter Quadrangular Series final

Bengaluru: Usman Khawaja struck an unbeaten century as Australia A beat India B by five wickets under the D/L Method in a rain-affected match to reach the final of the Quadrangular Series at Bengaluru on Monday. Australia A will meet India B again on Wednesday in the final to be played at M Chinnaswamy stadium in the Karnataka capital, while South Africa A and India A will fight for third position on the same day. [caption id=“attachment_5057891” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Usman Khawaja. Reuters[/caption] India B and Australia A bagged 12 points each while India A and South Africa A claimed nine points from five matches. In a rain-hit match played at Alur, Australia A chased down the truncated target of 247 in 40 overs with the help of a magnificent 101 not out by Khawaja, which came from 93 balls with 10 boundaries and a six. He was ably supported by Jack Wildermuth, who played a cameo of unbeaten 62 off 42 balls, which was studded with five boundaries and three sixes. The duo shared 93 runs for the sixth wicket, which saw the team through. Khawaja and Alex Carey gave a perfect start to Australia A as they stitched 77 runs for first wicket in 13.1 overs. Captain Travis Head left Khawaja after scoring just five and then Peter Handscomb added to the woes by scoring just two off six balls, leaving the team struggling at 95 for three in 19 overs. Marnus Labuschagne (13) and Ashton Agar (15) also could not stay long with Khawaja. It was then left to Khawaja and Wildermuth to take the team to victory, but not before rain reduced the innings to 40 overs. Jalaj Saxena grabbed two wickets while Shreyas Gopal, Deepak Hooda and Kulwant Khejroliya picked one wicket each. Earlier, India B posted 276 for 6, riding on Manish Pandey’s brilliant unbeaten century. Pandey cracked a superlative 117 not out from 109 balls, a knock studded by seven boundaries and three sixes. Pandey, who came into bat at 64 for 2 in the 15th over, lost Ishan Kishan (31) and Kedar Jadhav (5), but stitched a 84-run partnership with Deepak Hooda (30) for the fifth wicket. Saxena made 18 and Shreyas Gopal an unbeaten 12, in company of Pandey. Pacer Michael Neser was the most successful bowler for Australia A as he bagged three wickets for 47 runs in nine overs. In the other match of the day, South Africa A defeated India A by 4 wickets, after the visitors raced past 158 runs target in 37.4 overs. Batting first, India B were skittled out for 157 in 37.3 overs, with Sanju Samson (36) and Deepak Chahar (38) being the only two batsmen who showed some application to post a respectable target. Seven batsmen, including Ambati Rayudu and Shreyas Iyer, failed to get to double digit figures. Dane Paterson’s five-for ripped apart India A as he finished with a match-winning figures of five for 19 with two maidens in it. Sisanda Magala and Robert Frylinckb bagged two wickets each. In reply, South Africa A rode on Pieter Malan’s 47-run knock to take the total to 103 for four in 27.2 overs, requiring 56 runs in remaining overs. However, they lost two more wickets of Paterson (12) and Senuran Muthusamy (16), before South Africa A could pull off an easy victory. K Khaleel Ahmed bagged three wickets, while Krunal Pandya claimed two. Mayank Markande scalped one.