COLOMBO: India defeated Afghanistan by a comfortable margin of 74 runs in their opening match of the 3rd ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup on Friday.
Sent into bat at the CCC Grounds, India scored 281 for eight in the allotted 50 overs and then bowled out Afghanistan for 207 in 44.4 overs.
Middle-order batsman
Deepak Hooda's scintillating century helped India post a solid score and then the bowlers, led by off-spinning skipper
Jayant Yadav
(3/37) and supported by
Mayank Markande (3/41), cleaned up Afghanistan.
Hooda scored 105.
India lost Ruturaj Gaikwad in the second over as Fazal Haque struck early for Afghanistan. Wicketkeeper-batsman Ankush Bains and one-drop
Nitish Rana added 59 runs for the second wicket.
Both Rana and Bains fell within the space of seven deliveries as Afghanistan came back into the game. The resurgence was short-lived though, as number five batsman Hooda made a brisk 105 off 103 balls, with the help 12 fours and a six.
Hooda anchored the innings excellently and got able assistance from skipper Yadav and Atit Sheth, who made identical scores of 31 each.
Chasing 282 to win, Afghanistan top-order got starts but did not go on to post substantial scores. One-down batsman Shahidullah Kamal made a slow 82-ball 47 before becoming leg-spinner Markande's first scalp.
In the day's other game, hosts Sri Lanka beat Oman by 109 runs.
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