India A reach final after run-fest

Mayank Agarwal and Manish Pandey each plundered hundreds to book India A a place in the final and leave their South African counterparts heading home from the tri-series with four defeats from as many matches.

The home side peppered the largely empty stands of Chennai's M Chidambaram Stadium, racking up 3-371 from their 50 overs, and they needed the vast majority of them as South Africa A replied strongly through a lightning hundred by Quinton de Kock. 

Agarwal, who has been in devastating touch this tournament, piled on his second hundred from as many innings against the Proteas, hammering 176 from 133 deliveries with 20 fours and five sixes.

Pandey joined the party as well, slamming 108 from 85 balls, while opener Unmukt Chand's 64 almost went unnoticed in the carnage but was critical in maintaining the momentum of a furious innings. 

South Africa A flew to 1-96 after 10 overs, largely on the back of de Kock's fireworks, and the 22-year-old - who has six ODI centuries to his name already - continued the unlikely chase with vigour, racing to his second consecutive hundred in this tri-series from just 76 balls.

After 26 overs, the Proteas were 1-180 with de Kock keeping the unlikely dream alive with 113 of the total.

Three balls later however, the match turned in favour of the home side, as de Kock edged an offering up to wicketkeeper Sanju Samson, who made no mistake from the bowling of Axar Patel.

The visitors continued to fight through a patient 76 from Reeza Hendricks that was wonderfully complemented by a furious 86 off 60 balls from Khaya Zondo, but the work done by the Indian batsmen up front was simply too much. 

Patel stole the bowling figures with 3-32 as the South Africans finished with a spirited 6-337, some 35 runs short of their target as a difficult tour came to an end with some consolation.