India A embarrass Kenya in opening one dayer

Pacemen Pankaj Singh and Praveen Kumar steered in a superb bowling performance as India A thrashed Kenya by 10 wickets in the first one day match at the Nairobi Gymkhana club on Tuesday.

Put into bat on a seamer-friendly wicket, the Kenyan batsmen did not have an answer to the visitors' bowling as the pacemen skittled them out for a paltry 98 in 26.2 overs under an overcast Nairobi sky.

Thomas Odoyo, who acted as a stand-in captain in place of the injured Steve Tikolo, was the only Kenyan batsman to offer resistance making 43 as Singh took four wickets for 29 and Kumar chipped in with 3-29.

The 20-year-old Kumar and his opening partner Yusuf Pathan - who came in as replacements of three other players who were called to join the Indian senior team in England - repaid the selectors confidence when they wrapped up the game with India A reaching the target in only 7.4 overs.

Both men finished unbeaten on 57 and 29 respectively.

India A play Sri Lanka A in the second one-dayer on Wednesday at the same venue.

Scores

Kenya 89 all out in 26.4 overs (Thomas Odoyo 43, P. Singh 4-29, P Kumar 3-28) India A 99-0 in 7.4 overs