Prithvi Shaw smashed a 100-ball 150 as India A defended a 373-run target to win the second warm-up game against New Zealand XI on Saturday.
New Zealand XI almost chased down the target but fell short by 12 runs as Jake Boyle scored 130 while Finn Allen managed 87 off just 65 balls.
Krunal Pandya dismissed both Boyle and Allen as India A restricted New Zealand XI to 360/6 in 50 overs.
India A had won the first practice game by 62 runs after a collective batting effort.
But the second game belonged to Shaw, who was returning to action from a shoulder injury he suffered during a first-class match recently, as he struck 22 fours and two sixes in his blazing knock at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval.
Shaw’s knock comes days before Indian selectors meet to pick the squad for the Test series in New Zealand. The first Test will get underway on February 21 at the Basin Reserve in Hamilton and the second match is scheduled to be played at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch, starting February 29.
Batting first, India A posted an imposing 372 in 49.2 overs. Apart from Shaw’s ton, Vijay Shankar made 58 off 41 balls. Captain Shubman Gill was dismissed for 24 while Suryakumar Yadav made 26. Opener Mayank Agarwal fell after making 32 runs.
Shaw was in sparkling touch since returning from his eight-month doping ban, but a shoulder injury on the opening day of Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy game against Karnataka cut short his run, ruling him out of India A’s first practice match in New Zealand. Shaw had hurt his left shoulder while trying to save an overthrow during the match against Karnataka at the Bandra Kurla Complex.
Having recovered from the injury, Shaw has straightaway set his sights on his immediate goals of returning to India’s Test squad, with a fine knock.
(With PTI inputs)
