India A came agonisingly close to victory in the first unofficial Test against New Zealand A in Lincoln, but unfavourable weather conditions denied them the chance to complete the job. With New Zealand A nine wickets down and just one wicket remaining, India A appeared poised for a win. However, deteriorating weather prevented further play, and the match ended in a draw.

India A had set the hosts a target of 313 runs. New Zealand A struggled during the chase, eventually reaching 187 for nine before the weather intervened. The result left the Indian side disappointed after a strong fightback across the match.

New Zealand A's Last-Wicket Pair Holds Firm

India A needed just one more wicket to secure victory, but New Zealand A's final pair managed to survive the remaining challenge.

Number 11 batter Jaden Lennox scored six runs from 24 balls, providing valuable support to Curtis Heaphy at the other end. The pair added 17 runs for the final wicket and, more importantly, faced 57 deliveries together.

Heaphy remained unbeaten on 90 from 187 balls, producing a determined innings that kept New Zealand A in contention. The lower-order resistance helped the hosts delay India's victory, while the worsening weather ultimately brought the contest to an end.

India A Make a Stunning Comeback After First-Innings Collapse

Despite missing out on victory, India A demonstrated their batting depth with an impressive recovery.

The visitors were dismissed for just 113 runs in their first innings, putting themselves under pressure early in the match. However, they responded emphatically in the second innings, piling up 516 runs to turn the contest around and establish a challenging target.

Devdutt Padikkal led the recovery with a magnificent 199 off 248 deliveries, narrowly missing out on a double century. Sai Sudharsan contributed 91 runs, while Yash Rathod scored 66 and Washington Sundar added 52.

The collective effort transformed India's position and gave the bowlers a strong opportunity to push for victory in the final innings.

Aaqib Nabi Impresses With the Ball

Aaqib Nabi was among India's notable performers with the ball, taking six wickets across New Zealand A's two innings combined.

His contribution helped India A keep the opposition under pressure and move closer to a potential win. With only one wicket remaining in the fourth innings, the Indian team had reason to believe that its efforts would be rewarded.

However, the weather had the final say, preventing the bowlers from completing their task.

Weather Denies India A a Well-Deserved Opportunity

The drawn result was frustrating for India A, particularly after their recovery from a first-innings total of 113 and their strong bowling performance during the final innings.

New Zealand A's last-wicket resistance deserves credit, especially Heaphy's unbeaten 90 and Lennox's patience at the crease. Nevertheless, India A will feel they were close to securing a memorable win before the conditions made further play impossible.

Although the match ended without a winner, India's second-innings batting display and their ability to reduce New Zealand A to nine wickets down provided plenty of positives for the visitors.