Superb half-centuries from S Badrinath and Gautam Gambhir [Images] helped India Red post a comfortable 88-run win over India Green in the second cricket match of the NKP Salve Challenger Trophy in Ahmedabad on Friday.

Badrinath hit an unbeaten 82 and Gambhir struck 73 to propel India Red to a challenging 303 for seven after captain Mohammad Kaif elected to bat. Kaif's team then skittled out the Greens for 215 runs in 47 overs to romp home.

Badrinath, who hit seven fours and a last-ball six in 79 deliveries he faced, staked claim for a spot in the ODI squad for the home series against Pakistan even as Gambhir continued to impress with his form.

Needing about six runs per over, India Green got off to a disastrous start and later middle order batsman Manoj Tiwary (65) tried to make an attempt to chase the mammoth total.

India Red bowlers had opener Yousuf Pathan (0) clean bowled in the very first over while the other opener Cheteshwara Pujara (7) departed soon after, off Praveen Kumar.

India Green captain Parthiv Patel (19) also followed to leave the team gasping at 36 for three in the tenth over.

The required run rate had climbed over nine runs per over by the 30th over and the side lost all hopes of winning after Tiwary departed in the 33rd over, caught behind off Praveen Kumar's bowling.

Tiwary was the sixth batsman to depart when the score was 135 and the team finally folded up for conceding a bonus point to India Red.

For India Red, Praveen Kumar was the pick of the bowlers claiming five wickets for 45 runs in the nine overs he bowled.

Earlier, opener Gambhir provided the much needed momentum to India Red by scoring a run-a-ball 73.

However, India Red skipper Mohd Kaif scored only eight runs from 26 balls.

Munaf Patel [Images], who has been out of the Indian side for the past several matches, gave away 81 runs in his 10 overs. He picked one wicket in the last over of India Red innings.