Vaibhav Sooryavanshi delivered a breathtaking 29-ball 94 as India A defeated Sri Lanka A by 66 runs in the tri-series final on Sunday, riding on a dominant batting display and a disciplined bowling effort to seal the title.
India A posted a massive 377 for nine, powered by Sooryavanshi’s explosive innings, which included an 11-ball fifty, the fastest in List A cricket. Sri Lanka A were bowled out for 311, despite fighting knocks from their middle order.
Chasing a daunting target, Sri Lanka A needed a strong start but lost early wickets to slip to 75 inside the first 10 overs, as Niroshan Dickwella, Avishka Fernando and Nuwanidu Fernando all departed cheaply.
A 53-run stand between Sadeera Samarawickrama (52) and skipper Sahan Arachchige (38) briefly steadied the innings, followed by a 77-run partnership between Wanuj Sahan (62) and Vijayakanth Viyaskanth (39). However, the required rate continued to climb beyond reach, and Sri Lanka A eventually fell short despite crossing 300.
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Earlier, India A’s innings was defined by Sooryavanshi’s extraordinary assault at the top. The 15-year-old from Bihar’s Samastipur dismantled the Sri Lankan attack with clean hitting, racing to his fifty in just 11 balls and setting the tone for a commanding total.
His innings featured a flurry of boundaries and sixes, including successive hits down the ground to reach the milestone. He shared a 132-run opening stand with Priyansh Arya (39), putting India A firmly in control.
Skipper Tilak Varma anchored the middle phase with a composed 67 off 90 balls, while Anukul Roy (39 off 15) and Vipraj Nigam (27 off 20) provided a late flourish to push India past 370.
Sri Lanka A managed to pull things back through the middle overs, but India A’s total proved well out of reach.
In reply, India A’s bowling unit maintained control throughout. Yash Thakur (3/45) and Vipraj Nigam (3/60) struck at key moments to derail Sri Lanka A’s chase and ensure a comfortable victory.
Sooryavanshi’s knock remained the standout performance of the match, marking one of the most explosive innings of the tournament and setting up India A’s emphatic title win.
