RESULT
1st unofficial ODI, Chennai, September 22, 2022, New Zealand A tour of India
(31.5/50 ov, T:168) 170/3

India A won by 7 wickets (with 109 balls remaining)

Report

Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Sen rattle New Zealand A to set up comfortable win

They shared seven wickets, as Michael Rippon and Joe Walker's 89-run ninth-wicket stand gave visitors some respectability

Shardul Thakur got four wickets in the first one-dayer, India A vs New Zealand A, 1st unofficial ODI, Chennai, September 22, 2022

Shardul Thakur got 4 for 32  •  PTI

India A 170 for 3 (Patidar 45*, Gaikwad 41, Rippon 1-28) beat New Zealand A 167 (Rippon 61, Thakur 4-32, Sen 3-30) by seven wickets
Pace bowlers Shardul Thakur and Kuldeep Sen bowled New Zealand out for a paltry 167, sharing seven wickets between them, as India A posted a comfortable seven-wicket victory in the first of the three one-dayers at Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium on Thursday to take the hosts 1-0 up in the series.
After asking the visitors to bat, Thakur - who had replaced the injured Prasidh Krishna in the squad - struck in his second over on a pitch that had pace and bounce on offer, cleaning up opener Chad Bowes for 10. Known for his outswingers and nip-backers, Thakur soon after removed Dane Cleaver with a short ball, forcing him to pull only to be caught at fine leg after a top edge.
Sen, making his debut for India A, bowled in tandem with the senior quick to trap No. 3 Joe Carter leg before wicket. That was the third wicket of a collapse which saw New Zealand A slide from 14 without loss to 74 for 8 in a span of 16 overs.
However, there was some resistance from the lower order, thanks to tailenders Michael Rippon and Joe Walker. Their 89-run partnership off 126 deliveries for the ninth wicket eventually lifted New Zealand A to 167. While Rippon top-scored with 61 from 104 balls and hit four boundaries, Walker made 36 off 49, hitting three fours and a six during a stable partnership.
But Walker was run-out in the 39th over, and it took India A less than more overs to bowl New Zealand A out, as Thakur ended with 4 for 32 - including getting Rippon out last - while Sen returned figures of 3 for 30.
A below-par score on a batting-friendly pitch was never going to pose a threat, and India A made short work of the chase.
After Prithvi Shaw perished for 17, Ruturaj Gaikwad and No. 3 Rahul Tripathi, who got 31, stitched 56 runs. Gaikwad's three fours and two clean sixes helped him accumulate 41 before he was caught-and-bowled by Rippon.
But an entertaining partnership followed between India A captain Sanju Samson and the in-form Rajat Patidar. Samson was welcomed with a rousing cheer from the 200-odd spectators as the pair put on an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 69 to chase down the target with seven wickets and more than 19 overs to spare.
Samson remained unbeaten on 29 - including hitting three sixes - while Patidar, who punished the bowlers whenever they went full, struck a quick 45 off 41 balls. His knock included seven boundaries.
The second of the three one-dayers will take place on Sunday at the same venue, with the visitors now in a must-win situation to remain alive in the series

Srinidhi Ramanujam is a sub-editor with ESPNcricinfo