After their bowlers wrapped up the West Indies innings for a paltry 148, India A cantered to a nine-wicket win in 25.3 overs in the first practice game of the tour at the Brabourne Stadium on Friday.
Asked to bat first, the Kieron Pollard-led visiting side succumbed in 38.1 overs as the Indian spinners claimed six between them with Amit Mishra leading the effort with 3/26.
The West Indians struggled to get any momentum while batting, losing Leon Johnson without scoring and then watching as Lendl Simmons retired hurt.
The only half-centurion of the innings was Marlon Samuels who batted 59 balls for his 56, and once he was dismissed at 123 for 7 the rest of the innings stumbled to a close. Only Jason Holder (21 off 46 balls) and Kemar Roach (10* off 32) made it to double-digits.
For India A, leg-spinner Amit Mishra was the most profitable bowler with 3/26 in ten overs, his wickets being Pollard (2), Darren Sammy (0) and Jerome Taylor (0). Fellow leggie Karn Sharma had 2/27 in 7.1 overs.
Earlier, Dhawal Kulkarni who had begun the proceedings for the hosts with a maiden, bowled a good first spell to finish with 6-2-14- 1 to put pressure on the batting side from one end even as Jasprit Bumrah bowled a more expensive first spell.
While Bumrah conceded 35 in his first five overs, the pacer gave India A their first breakthrough with the wicket of Leon Johnson.
Chasing 149, India A romped home in 25.2 overs on the back of an unbeaten 79 off 81 balls from Delhi batsman Unmukt Chand who with Murali Vijay (26) added 71 for the opening wicket.
The two teams will now face-off against each other on Sunday in a day/night match at the Wankhede Stadium.
BCCI
