Vaibhav Sooryavanshi delivered a breathtaking display with the bat as India A defeated Sri Lanka A by 66 runs in the tri series final at Dambulla, securing the title in emphatic fashion.
The teenage sensation produced a remarkable 94 from only 29 deliveries and registered the fastest fifty ever recorded in List A cricket, reaching the milestone in just 11 balls. Coming into the final after a mixed run of scores and recent controversy during a group stage encounter against the hosts, Sooryavanshi responded in the best possible way by letting his bat take centre stage.
His fearless stroke play helped India A race to 132 for 1 within the opening nine overs. The left hander smashed 10 boundaries and eight maximums, putting Sri Lanka A’s bowlers under relentless pressure. Although he fell six runs short of a century, his explosive innings accounted for more than a third of India’s eventual total of 377 for 9.
After the early fireworks, Tilak Varma steadied the innings with 67, while Ruturaj Gaikwad contributed in an 84 run partnership. India A then suffered a middle order wobble before Anukul Roy injected fresh momentum with a rapid 39 from 15 balls. Vipraj Nigam also chipped in with a valuable 27 to push the score well beyond 370.
Sri Lanka A required a strong start in reply but Yash Thakur dismantled the top order. He removed Niroshan Dickwella, Avishka Fernando and Nuwanidu Fernando to leave the chase under pressure. Sadeera Samarawickrama fought back with 52, while Wanuja Sahan top scored with 62 from 69 balls.
Despite their resistance, Sri Lanka A never fully recovered. Roy claimed two important wickets, while Nigam and Thakur finished with three apiece. The hosts were eventually dismissed for 311 in the 48th over as India A completed a memorable title winning performance led by Sooryavanshi’s unforgettable knock.
