Dambulla, June 10: A magnificent century from Ruturaj Gaikwad and a disciplined bowling effort under pressure helped India A register a thrilling eight-run victory over Sri Lanka A in the opening match of the Tri-Nation A Series at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Tuesday.
After being put in to bat, India A suffered an early setback as they lost both openers with just 16 runs on the board. Promising youngster Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, returning after his impressive IPL campaign, managed only 14 runs before being dismissed. Prabhsimran Singh also departed cheaply, leaving the visitors in trouble.
At a crucial juncture, Gaikwad stepped up with a captain’s innings, displaying composure and class to rebuild the innings. The right-hander struck a superb 101 off 114 deliveries, anchoring the innings after the early collapse. His knock included six boundaries and three towering sixes.
Gaikwad found solid support from captain Tilak Varma, who contributed a well-crafted 60 runs to steady the innings further. As the innings progressed, India A accelerated in the final overs through Ayush Badoni and Suryansh Shedge.
Badoni scored a quick-fire 24 off 18 balls, while Shedge remained unbeaten on 26 from just 14 deliveries. Their late assault helped India A collect 89 runs in the final 10 overs and post a competitive total of 277 for 6 in their allotted 50 overs.
For Sri Lanka A, Mohamed Shiraz was the most successful bowler, claiming two wickets.
Chasing 278, Sri Lanka A got off to a positive start, with Niroshan Dickwella leading the charge. The wicketkeeper-batter scored a fluent 47 and ensured the hosts stayed in touch with the required run rate.
The chase gained further momentum through Sahan Arachchige, who played a brilliant knock of 74 off 72 balls. His innings kept Sri Lanka A firmly in contention and brought them within striking distance of victory.
With just 17 runs required from the final three overs, the hosts appeared to have the upper hand. However, India A staged a remarkable comeback when pacer Anshul Kamboj delivered a crucial breakthrough.
Kamboj bowled a pinpoint yorker to dismiss the well-set Arachchige in the 48th over, turning the match in India’s favour. The wicket left Sri Lanka A needing 16 runs from 16 deliveries and exposed the lower order to mounting pressure.
India A capitalised on the opportunity as Arshad Khan produced an excellent penultimate over, picking up two crucial wickets and restricting the scoring. The visitors maintained their composure in the closing stages and bowled out Sri Lanka A for 269 in 48.5 overs to seal a hard-fought victory.
Arshad Khan finished with figures of 2 for 24, while Ayush Badoni also chipped in with two wickets. Their efforts complemented Gaikwad’s century and ensured India A started the tournament on a winning note.
Brief Scores:
India A: 277/6 in 50 overs (Ruturaj Gaikwad 101, Tilak Varma 60, Suryansh Shedge 26*; Mohamed Shiraz 2/67)
Sri Lanka A: 269 all out in 48.5 overs (Sahan Arachchige 74, Niroshan Dickwella 47; Arshad Khan 2/24, Ayush Badoni 2/46)
Result: India A won by 8 runs.
