Anantpur (Andhra Pradesh) [India], September 14 (ANI): The third match of the Duleep Trophy on Saturday saw a commanding performance from India A, with opener Pratham Singh and left-handed batter Tilak Varma scoring centuries to set an imposing target of 488 runs for India D.

At the close of Day 3, India D had reached 62/1, with Ricky Bhui (44) and Yash Dubey (15) unbeaten at the crease. They still require an additional 426 runs to secure victory in this fixture.

The day began with India A resuming their innings from an overnight score of 115 for the loss of one wicket, with Pratham Singh not out on 56. Pratham showcased remarkable skill and patience, crafting a stellar knock of 122 runs off 189 deliveries, embellished with 12 boundaries and a towering six.

Tilak Varma provided substantial support to Pratham Singh, remaining unbeaten with an impressive 111 runs from 193 balls. His innings included nine well-placed boundaries. Together, Pratham and Tilak forged a formidable partnership of 104 runs off 190 balls, laying a solid foundation for their team.

In addition to the centuries from Pratham and Tilak, skipper Mayank Agarwal and Shaswat Rawat contributed crucial fifties. Agarwal scored a brisk 56 off 87 balls, hitting eight fours, while Shaswat remained not out with 64 runs off 88 balls, including seven boundaries.

India A declared their innings at 380 for 3 in 98 overs, with Tilak Varma and Shaswat Rawat still at the crease. This declaration set India D a daunting target of 488 runs to chase.

On the bowling front for India D, left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar took two wickets in his 26-over spell, conceding 110 runs. Skipper Shreyas Iyer also chipped in with one wicket from his four-over spell, giving away 22 runs.

India D’s chase got off to a rocky start as they lost opener Atharwa Taide early in the third over without scoring, leaving the team at a precarious 2 for 1. Ricky Bhui then joined Yash Dubey at the crease, and the pair managed to stabilize the innings somewhat.

By the end of Day 3, Bhui and Dubey had put together an unbeaten partnership of 60 runs. The sole wicket in India D’s second innings was claimed by Khaleel Ahmed, who bowled a tidy four-over spell, including two maidens and conceding just 17 runs.

Brief Score: India A 290 & 380/3d in 98 overs (Pratham Singh 122, Tilak Varma 111*, Saurabh Kumar 2/110) vs India D 62/1 in 19 overs (Ricky Bhui 44*, Yash Dubey 15*, Khaleel Ahmed 1/17). (ANI)