Nagpur: Suresh Kumar scored a match-winning 87 to help India Blue beat India Red by one-wicket in a nail-bitting contest at the NKP Salve Challenger Trophy cricket tournament here today.

Suresh first shared a crucial 57-run fourth wicket stand with pinch-hitter Harbhajan (36 off 36) and then added 55 alongwith Mahendra Singh Dhoni (37 off 40) to set the platform for the run chase.

Out-of-form Ishant Sharma and leg-spinner Ravindra Jadeja were the pick of the bowlers for India Red.

Ishant answered his detractors in style, picking up four wickets for 56 runs from his 10 overs, while Jadeja scalped two victims, giving away 36 runs.

Earlier, riding on Harshad Khadiwale’s 51-ball 55 and Ishant Jaggi’s 54, India Red posted a competitive 248 runs on the board.

For India Blue, Ashok Dinda and Harbhajan Singh picked up three wickets apiece, giving away 52 and 40 runs respectively to bowl out the Red team in 44.4 overs.

India Blue’s run chase, however, did not start on a good note as they lost their first three wickets with team score at 49.

But then came in Harbhajan, who used his long handle to great effect and together with Suresh set the stage for the others to follow.

Harbhajan was the aggressor among the two as he found the fence six times, while Suresh struck seven boundaries and a six in his 113-ball innings.