In a match full of drama Sri Lanka ‘A’ snatched a thrilling win 7-run in the Super Over against India ‘A’ to record their second win in the ongoing ‘A’ team one-day Tri-Series match played at the Rangiri Dambulla Cricket Stadium yesterday that took them to top spot in the standings.
Invited to bat first India ‘A’ scored 265 off 49.2 overs and in reply Sri Lanka ‘A’ finished on 265-9 off 50 overs forcing a Super Over. In growing darkness the Super Over began and Sri Lanka ‘A’ batting first scored 16-0 leaving India ‘A’ to get 17 for a win. India ‘A’ however could manage only 9 despite the presence of ‘Boss Baby’ Vaibhav Sooriyavanshi who managed to score 6* off 3 balls against a superb Super Over from former St John’s College, Jaffna fast bowler 19-year-old Kugathas Mathulan. He bowled a masterful under-pressure over for Sri Lanka ‘A’, nailing his lines and lengths mostly to keep the Indian batters at bay.
After Sri Lanka ‘A’ won the toss and elected to bowl first, India ‘A’s powerhouse top-order suffered a mini collapse with openers Sooryavanshi and Prabhsimran Singh dismissed by the seventh over. A 52-run stand off 54 balls ensued between skipper Tilak Varma (23) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (37), before India lost their next five wickets at regular intervals for an addition of mere 52 runs. Vijayakanth Viyaskanth caused serious damage in the middle overs, picking up 3/26 which included the wickets of Gaikwad, Nishant Sindhu and Anukul Roy in quick succession.
India ‘A’ found themselves reeling at 125-6 and shortly after at 143-7. That’s when a rescue act was brilliantly orchestrated by the lower-order all-rounders, Suryansh Shedge and Vipraj Nigam. Batting at No. 7, Shedge played a remarkably mature and aggressive innings, top-scoring with 72 runs off 66 balls (3 fours, 2 sixes). He found an ideal ally in Nigam, who compiled a crucial 51 runs from 49 balls (6 fours) before getting run-out. The duo staged a counter-attack that quickly shifted the momentum back in India ‘A’s favour through a defiant 104-run partnership off 90 balls.
India ‘A’s batting performance included repeated breaches of regulations by running on the protected middle area of the pitch by Nigam resulting in two separate five-run penalties after an initial warning. Consequently, Sri Lanka ‘A’ were awarded 10 runs before facing a single ball, allowing them to remarkably start their run chase at 10-0.
Sri Lanka ‘A’s pursuit of 266 started strongly before they lost their openers in quick succession to be 75-2. Middle-order batter Sadeera Samarawickrama then stepped up, anchoring the chase elegantly with a 113-ball knock of 93 (6 fours) struggling throughout the latter part of his innings with cramps. He stitched meaningful partnerships after a brief collapse of 3 for 34 wherein Sri Lanka ‘A’ lost a well-set Niroshan Dickwella for 37 off 33. Samarawickrama found able company in Wanuja Sahan (25) and Viyaskanth (18) to drag the equation down to a comfortable 12 required at a run-a-ball.
However, India ‘A’s bowlers mounted a spectacular death-overs comeback to tie the scores with a run-out on the last ball, triggering immense confusion and animated discussions on the field. Captain Varma was involved in a heated discussion with the umpires, seemingly suggesting that Chamika Gunasekara hadn’t offered a shot before the ball rolled off his boot for a leg bye off the last ball. After settling down for a Super Over amid fading light, Sri Lanka ‘A’ batted first and smashed 18 runs, courtesy of a dramatic over that included a controversial six off a no-ball that India ‘A’ contested again, with a furious Varma in argument with the umpires’ again.
India ‘A’ fell well short by 7 runs giving Sri Lanka ‘A’ a breathtaking victory. It was immediately followed by heated on-field tensions and physical contact between the batters and the Sri Lankan fielders, capping off a dramatic contest. India ‘A’ take on Afghanistan ‘A’ in another match of the one-day tri-series tomorrow. – [ST]
n Scores: India ‘A’ 265 (49.2) (V Sooriyavanshi 21, R Gaikwad 37, T Varma 23, S Shedge 72, V Nigam 51, M Shiraz 3/33, V Viyaskanth 3/26)
n Sri Lanka ‘A’ 265-9 (50) (N Dickwella 37, A Fernando 22, S Samarawickrama 93, W Sahan 25, A Badoni 2/45)
n SUPER OVER: Sri Lanka ‘A’ 16-0; India ‘A’ 9-0.