Dambulla, June 21 (IANS) India A clinched the Tri-Series title in emphatic fashion after defeating Sri Lanka A by 66 runs in the final at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Sunday, with teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s breathtaking 94 off 29 balls laying the foundation for a memorable triumph.

Chasing a daunting target of 378, Sri Lanka A fought hard but were eventually bowled out for 311 in 47.1 overs despite a series of spirited contributions from their middle and lower order. The hosts were put under pressure early after losing three wickets for 75 runs, leaving them with a mountain to climb against a disciplined Indian bowling attack.

Sadeera Samarawickrama attempted to revive the chase with a well-compiled 52 and shared a 53-run partnership for the fourth wicket with skipper Sahan Arachchige, who contributed 38. However, regular wickets prevented Sri Lanka A from building the sustained momentum required in a chase of such magnitude.

The situation became even more difficult when the hosts slipped to 177/6. At that stage, Vanuja Sahan launched a spirited counterattack, striking 62 runs and stitching together a valuable 77-run partnership for the seventh wicket with Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, who made 39. Their stand helped reduce the margin of defeat and briefly raised hopes of a late fightback, but the required rate continued to climb, and India A remained firmly in control.

Yash Thakur and Vipraj Nigam led India’s bowling effort with three wickets each, consistently striking at crucial moments to derail Sri Lanka’s pursuit. Anukul Roy chipped in with two wickets, while Ashok Sharma and captain Tilak Varma claimed one apiece as India A wrapped up the innings and sealed the title.

Earlier, after losing the toss and being asked to bat first, India A produced a batting exhibition to pile up a massive 377/9 in their 50 overs.

The innings belonged to 15-year-old opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who once again showcased why he is regarded as one of the brightest young talents in Indian cricket. The left-hander tore into the Sri Lankan attack from the outset, racing to a half-century in just 11 balls, which is also the fastest fifty ever recorded in List A cricket.

Sooryavanshi hammered 10 fours and eight sixes during his astonishing 29-ball stay at the crease and fell just six runs short of a century. Alongside Priyansh Arya, he gave India A a dream start as the opening pair added 132 runs in only 53 deliveries, effectively putting the opposition on the back foot from the very beginning.

Arya contributed a brisk 39 before departing, but the platform had already been established for a huge total. Captain Tilak Varma then assumed responsibility for the middle overs, compiling a composed 67 off 90 deliveries. He shared an 84-run stand with Ruturaj Gaikwad, who scored 40, and later added another 63 runs alongside Kumar Kushagra (36) to keep the scoreboard moving.

Further useful contributions came from Nishant Sindhu (16), Vipraj Nigam (27) and Anukul Roy, whose 39-run knock provided the finishing touches to India’s innings. Their efforts ensured India A maintained their aggressive approach throughout and finished with a commanding total of 377/9.

For Sri Lanka A, Kugathas Mathulan, Ravindu Fernando and Vanuja Sahan picked up two wickets each, but the bowlers struggled to contain India’s relentless batting line-up.

Brief Scores: India A 377/9 in 50 overs (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 94, Tilak Varma 67, Ruturaj Gaikwad 40; Wanuja Sahan 2-39, Ravindu Fernando 2-72) beat Sri Lanka A all out for 311 runs in 47.1 overs (Wanuja Sahan 62, Sadeera Samarawickrama 52; Yash Thakur 3-45, Vipraj Nigam 3-60) by 66 runs.

–IANS

sds/