India A have registered their second victory of the triangular series over South Africa A, defeating them by 34 runs in the final game of the league stages at the M.A Chindambaram Stadium in Chennai on Thursday.
Twin centuries from Manish Pandey and Mayank Agarawal powered India to put up a mammoth total of 371 runs.
South Africa had to beat India A by a good margin in order to seal a place in the final, but India A's formidable total made the going tough for the Proteas.
Mayank Agarwal has been the star performer of the series, having scored more than 380 runs in four matches so far, at an average of above 121. Agarwal smashed 176 runs and literally toyed with South Africa A bowlers be it Wayne Parnell or Lonwabo Tsotsobe. His innings had 20 boundaries and five sixes off just 133 balls. It's his highest in his List A career as well.
Manish Pandey too was in form. Right from the start, he started taking on the South Africa A bowlers and reached his hundred in the final over of the Indian innings.
When South Africa A came out to bat, their intentions were quite clear. They had to take on the India A bowlers right from the onset and unnerve them so that the bowlers lose their line and length. Quinton De Kock smashed yet another century against India A on Thursday during the run chase. His innings of 113 runs came in just 86 balls. Khaya Zondo scored 86 runs off 60 deliveries and Reeza Hendricks score 76 runs off 109 balls.
However, at the end, South Africa A could only score 337 runs for the loss of six wickets in their allotted 50 overs, thereby losing the match by 34 runs.
India A will now face the mighty Australia A in the final of the triangular series at the same venue on Friday.
The Aussies have so far remained unbeaten in the series. The hosts would look to emulate their performance against South Africa A in the final against the Aussies on Friday and put an end to the Aussies' undefeated streak.
