Gambhir slams unbeaten 142, India A spank Pak A by 130 runs

Sydney, July 6 (UNI) A rampaging Gautam Gambhir slammed an unbeaten 142 as India A hammered its Pakistani counterpart by 130 runs in a Top End series limited over match at the Marrara Cricket Ground, Darwin today.

Put into bat, India A openers Robin Uthappa (72) and Gambhir treated the the rival bowling attack with disdain and their experience of playing at the senior level made all the difference as India amassed 313 for three in the stipulated 50 overs.

Aggressive and impressive, Gambhir attacked right from the beginning while Uthappa proved his perfect foil and the left-right pair raised 147 runs in just 27.2 overs before Uthappa fell to Mansoor Amjad after playing a 94-ball knock of 72 which included five hits to the fence.

Gambhir, at the other end, was simply unstoppable and though Shikhar Dhawan (12) and Y Venugopal Rao (14) could not make the most of a pedestrian attack, Rohit Sharma again stamped his class with an unbeaten 47 off 50 balls. Gambhir remained not out on 142 off just 136 balls that included 14 boundaries and two towering sixes.

With a mountain of runs to climb, Pakistan A lost wickets at regular intervals and never had any significant partnership which could take them close to the mammoth 313-run target.

Rafatullah Mohmand (85) was the lone face of Pakistani defiance but and only three other of his team mates could reach the double figure as their innings folded for 183 in just 39.3 overs.

Promising spinner Piyush Chawla was pick of the Indian bowlers, claiming three for 34 in his 10 overs.

Pace duo RP Singh and SS Paul and part-time spinner Venugopal Rao scalped two each while TP Singh also grabbed one.

Brief score: India A: 313 for 3 in 50 overs (Gautam Gambhir 142 n.o. Rohit Sharma 47 n.o.) Pakistan A: 183 all out in 39.3 overs (Rafatullah Mohmand 85, Piyush Chawla 3/34) UNI XC AY PM KN1643