In an emotionally charged tri-series match in Dambulla, Sri Lanka A overcame India to win the match after a Super Over on Monday.
After Sri Lankan pacer Kugathas Mathulan, who has a slingy action, defended 18 runs against the devastating Indian combination of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Suryansh Shedge while remaining composed under pressure, tensions erupted.
After the thrilling conclusion, Sooryavanshi was seen pushing a Sri Lankan player, resulting in physical contact as well. The fact that Sooryavanshi did not face the opening ball of the Super Over was unexpected.
After Sadeera Samarawickrame’s brilliant 91 placed Sri Lanka A on the verge of victory, left-arm bowler Arshad Khan produced a yorker-filled final over in regulation time to move the match into the Super Over.
Arshad, who played for the Gujarat Titans in the IPL, let up just four runs in the last six deliveries, forcing the match into a Super Over even though the hosts needed five runs.
Confusion over the game’s conclusion with India persisted after the tie result. Tilak Varma, the captain, pressed the referees to continue the match with a Super Over. The umpires changed their minds and decided to move the game into a Super Over after careful consideration.
However, Arshad’s Super Over proved costly as he let up 16 runs, including a wide and a no-ball. Mathulan effectively defended against the devastating Indian combination, who managed just nine, by remaining composed under pressure.
Earlier, spin bowling all-rounders Suryansh Shedge (72 off 66) and Vipraj Nigam (51 off 49) produced timely fifties to propel the visitors to 265 after Sooryavanshi (21 off 14) was dismissed once more after a quick start.
Sri Lanka A, who had gifted India A the first game of the series after suffering a late batting collapse, they learned to take the game deep.
After losing to Afghanistan A, it was India A’s second defeat in the competition.
Sooryavanshi (21 off 14 balls) began by hitting pacer Chamika Gunasekara for a six and two boundaries. However, off-spinner Sahan Arachchige got one that just missed his hitting arc, and the southpaw smacked across the line to spoon it towards point.
In nine overs, Tilak Varma (23) and his in-form partner Ruturaj Gaikwad (32) added 52 for the third wicket, but the Sri Lankan spinners recovered on a slow surface.
When off-spinner Vijaykanth Viyaskanth beat Gaikwad with an off-break to trap him plumb in front, India was in a middle-order slump from 91 for 2 to 143 for 7.
When Tilak attempted to smash slinger Kugathas Mathulan through point and was stopped by the fielder stationed there, he was sacked.
Nonetheless, the multi-talented Shedge and Nigam—who are on the “targeted list” of national selectors—added 104 runs for the eighth wicket, demonstrating the depth provided by the pathways framework.
Nigam smacked six fours, while Shedge hit two sixes and three fours. Even as they punished the loose deliveries, the pair farmed strike and demonstrated the value of running between the wickets while assessing the pitch’s slowness.
