Sports

Gill's ton helps India take 2-1 series lead

PTI

Riding on an unbeaten century by opener Shubman Gill, India Under-19 hammered England U-19 by seven wickets in the third One-dayer here and took a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.

Having restricted England colts to 215, India U-19 team achieved the target in the 45th over, losing just three wickets in the process.

Gill scored an unbeaten 138 off 157 deliveries that included 17 boundaries and two sixes, while wicketkeeper Harvik Desai hit 50-ball 37 not out to steer the team to victory with an unbroken 115-run stand for the fourth wicket.

India colts had a good start with openers Gill and skipper Himanshu Rana (19) bringing the team 50 in the sixth over.

The spin trio of Rawlins, liam White and skipper Max Holden managed to contain the flow of runs. With the hosts reeling at 101 for three, Gill, in the able company of Desai, steadied the boat. The two rotated the strike well and hit the bad balls away.

Earlier, opting to bat, England U-19 did not have a good start as openers Harry Brook (12) and Max Holder (8) fell early with the scorecard reading 38 for two.

Indian spinners shared seven wickets between them with leggie Rahul Chahar (4/33) and slow left-arm orthodox bowler Anukul Roy (3/39) destroying the English batting line-up.

Apart from dangerman Rawlins, who lived up to his reputation by top scoring with 96 runs, and George Bartlett (55; 6X4, 1X6) none of the other batsmen could make a mark.

Rawlins and Bartlett put on a crucial 84-run third wicket stand before the latter's innings was cut short by Chahar.

Rawlins, centurion of the first match, continued to play his shots that included sweeps, reverse-sweeps, cover drives during his splendid knock of 96 off 106 balls, which was laced with 11 boundaries and two towering sixes.