India B Scrape Past 200 by Musheer Khan Stunning century
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| Musheer Khan scored an unbeaten 105 off 227 balls, including 10 fours and 2 sixes, leading India B to 202/7 on Day 1 of the Duleep Trophy against India A. / EspnCricinfo |
In a day dominated by the bowlers, India B managed to scrape past the 200-run mark thanks to a patient century from Musheer Khan. Despite a challenging pitch and overcast conditions, Khan's resolute knock helped India B reach 202/7 at stumps on the first day of the Duleep Trophy final against India A.
India A, having won the toss and elected to bowl first, made early inroads with the pace trio of Akash Deep, Avesh Khan, and Khaleel Ahmed. Abhimanyu Easwaran and Yashasvi Jaiswal fell cheaply, setting the stage for Musheer's heroics. The middle order also struggled, with Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant, and Washington Sundar failing to make a significant impact.
Deep, in particular, was impressive, picking up two wickets for 28 runs. Khaleel and Avesh also contributed with two wickets each. Shivam Dube, with his accurate line and lengths, posed a constant threat but was unable to break through. The spinners, Kuldeep Yadav and Tanush Kotian, also failed to make an immediate impact.
However, Musheer Khan stood firm, playing both the pacers and spinners with equal aplomb. His patient innings, spanning 227 deliveries, helped India B weather the storm and reach a respectable total. Navdeep Saini provided valuable support, contributing a valuable 29* off 74 balls.
The first day of the Duleep Trophy final has set up an intriguing contest, with India B still in the game despite a challenging start. Musheer Khan's century has given his team a fighting chance, and the match is poised to be a fascinating battle between bat and ball.