All-round Gurkeerat stars in India A win

Gurkeerat Singh Mann starred with both bat and ball as India A thrashed Bangladesh A by 96 runs in the first 50-over game of the three-match series here on Wednesday.

Gurkeerat smashed a quickfire 58-ball 65 and returned figures of 5/29. In the process, the 25-year-old all-rounder also registered his best bowling performance in List A matches.

Electing to field on winning the toss, Bangladesh A captain Mominul Haque saw his decision backfire as the hosts piled up 322/7 in their 50 overs. In reply, the visitors could only manage 226 in 42.3 overs before being all out.

Sanju Samson was the top scorer for India A with 73 runs.

With opener Mayank Agarwal (56) in good form, the Indians were off to a brisk start on the greenish pitch.

Bangladesh A did not help their cause with their wayward bowling -- Taskin Ahmed conceded 14 wides in his first two overs.

The visitors however, hit back with a couple of quick wickets. Taskin struck the first blow by getting rid of Unmukt Chand (16). Fellow pacer Shafiul Islam used the generous bounce to have Manish Pandey (1) caught behind three overs later.

The experienced Suresh Raina seemded rusty during his 28-ball 16 before being trapped leg before by off-spinner Nasir Hossain. Kedar Jadhav (0) was run out before opening his account as India were reduced to 76/4.

Agarwal and Samson steadied the Indian boat before the former found the fielder at deep midwicket.

However, some exciting strokeplay by Gurkeerat and Rishi Dhawan (56) enabled the hosts to produce a formidable total.

When Bangladesh batted, left-arm seamer Srinath Aravind made good use of his knowledge of Chinnaswamy track and conditions as he swung a couple of deliveries back-to-back into the right handers Rony Talukdar (13) and Anamul Haque Bijoy (0) with the former being leg-before and latter bowled.

Aravind, in his next over, removed the dangerous Soumya Sarkar caught by Jadhav.

Rishi Dhawan removed skipper Mominul Haque (19) and Sabbir Rahaman (25) to make it 87 for five before Litton, with a run-a-ball 75, and Nasir, with 52, added 120 runs for the sixth wicket.

At 207 for five, Gurkeerat weaved his magic as the last five wickets fell for 19 runs in only 5.5 overs.

India A pacer Sreenath Aravind then ensured that the visitors had a shaky start by claiming three quick wickets before Gurkeerat started tormenting the Bangladeshis with his off-breaks.