The first unofficial Test between India A and New Zealand A ended in a draw in spite of Auqib Nabi’s three-wicket haul in the second innings in Lincoln on Tuesday.
Published: October 27, 2026, 12:27 PM IST
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India A pacer Auqib Nabi bowls against New Zealand A in Lincoln(Source: X)
India A vs New Zealand A 2026: Dhruv Jurel-led India A team made a sensational comeback in the first unofficial Test vs New Zealand A at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln after getting bowled out for just 113 on the opening dateThe hero on the final day of the four-day clash was Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi, who rocked the home team early but the Indians just failed to win the clash with bad light ending play early.
Chasing 313 runs to win after Indians were bowled out in the second innings for 516, New Zealand A ended the game at 187 for 9 with 17 overs of play lost due to bad light on TuesdayNabi, who had scored an impressive 38, claimed three early wickets by dismissing New Zealand A captain Rhys Mariu, Tim Robinson and Matthew Boyle early to reduce then to 13 for 3 in the 5th over.
Opener Curtis Heaphy, who remained unbeaten on 90 off 187 balls (12×4), tried to resurrect the innings with a 78-run partnership for 4th wicket with Dean Forcroft (42, 67 balls, 6×4) but left-arm pacer Mukesh Choudhary provided the much-needed breakthrough to end the stand.
Nabi had the Black Caps players on the hop, bowling out Mariu and Boyle and catching Robinson plumb leg before for a duck.
Check Auqib Nabi strikes for India A on Day 4 of 1st unofficial Test vs New Zealand A HERE…
Auqib nabi destroys the nzA’s top order in his opening spell ….
Although he is not in the test squad
#INDAVSNZA https://t.co/MgshY4Y2ki
— Vaibhav Dhakad (@Vaibhavdhakad18) October 26, 2026
India A batter Devdutt Padikkal, who was unlucky to be dismissed for 199 on Day 3 of the game, was the surprise star with the ball – dismissing Fraser Sheat and Zak Gibson, to claim 2 for 11 in 5 oversApart from Nabi an Padikkal, Anshul Kamboj, Akash Deep, Choudhary and Washington Sundar all claimed one wicket each.
Indians managed to reduce the home team to 170 for 9, early into the final session of the game but Heaphy and last man Jayden Lennox managed to keep the bowlers at bay for nearly 10 overs before the umpires took the players off the field due to bad light at the end of 65th over.
Earlier on Day 4, all-rounder Washington Sundar added just one run to his overnight score to be dismissed for 52 off 80 balls by LennoxBut Akash Deep was belligerent with the bat, smashing an unbeaten 25 off 17 balls with three sixes and one four before the innings ended at 516.
The second game of three-match series between India A and New Zealand A will begin on Saturday at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
