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Dhawan's 248 helps India A make final
Dhawan's 248 helps India A make final
Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan's 248 against South Africa A is the second highest score ever in limited overs cricket, after English batsman Ali Brown's 268 for Surrey against Glamorgan in 2002.
Agencies/Pretoria
Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan created history yesterday by smashing 248, the second highest individual score in limited-overs cricket, in India A's must-win tri-series game against South Africa A at the LC de Villiers Oval ground in Pretoria. |
Dhawan's sensational knock, which came off just 150 balls with 30 hits to the fence and seven massive sixes, and captain Cheteshwar Pujara's 109 not out (97 balls, 8x4) powered the Indians to a mammoth 433 for 3 in 50 overs. The hosts gave a game chase but fell 39 runs short to be bowled out for 394 in 48.4 overs. The win helped India A reach the final where they will face Australia A tomorrow.
Left-hander Dhawan's 248 is the second highest score in List A cricket; Surrey bat Ali Brown's 268, scored against Glamorgan in 2002, is the highest. Dhawan's tally of 30 fours though equalled Brown's record for most boundaries in a limited-overs game.
Before this, the highest ever score by a batsman for any country in 'A' cricket was 173 not out by Sri Lanka's Upul Tharanga against South Africa A in East London (2008).
Dhawan reached his 100 off 86 balls in the 27th over. He continued to plunder runs at will and moved to 150 off 107 deliveries. The 200 came in the 40th over when he took a single off left-arm paceman Beuran Hendricks.
After reaching his double century, Dhawan equalled the highest List A (limited overs) score in South Africa in the 42nd over, when he smashed a six to take his tally to 222. Graeme Pollock had scored 222 not out for Eastern Province against Border in 1974.
Dhawan opened the batting along with Murali Vijay and the duo put on 91 for the first wicket. Vijay was dismissed by Hendricks for 40 when he was caught by wicketkeeper Dane Vilas.
Skipper Cheteshwar Pujara joined Dhawan at the crease as the duo took the attack to the South African bowlers, adding 285 runs for the second wicket. Dhawan reached his first hundred in 86 deliveries but took just 46 more balls to reach the 200 mark. Just when he looked in sight of overhauling Brown's record, Dhawan had a go against fast bowler Rusty Theron and 'keeper Vilas pouched the resulting edge.