The tri-nation series final between India A and Sri Lanka A proved to be a one-sided contest after a week filled with drama, as India delivered a dominant performance to lift the trophy at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Sunday.
Batting first, India A posted a massive total of 377 runs, driven by a blistering innings from 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who struck 94 runs off just 29 balls. His innings set the tone early, as he attacked the Sri Lankan bowlers from the outset and raced to a record-breaking fifty in just 11 balls, marking the fastest half-century in List A cricket. His aggressive knock ended just short of a century when he was dismissed after mistiming a lofted shot to mid-off.
India’s batting effort was further strengthened by contributions from Priyansh Arya, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma, Kumar Kushagra, Vipraj Nigam and Anukul Roy, all of whom made valuable scores to push the total to an imposing 377. Although India briefly lost momentum in the middle overs with a cluster of wickets, Anukul Roy’s late hitting ensured a strong finish.
In reply, Sri Lanka A struggled from the start as Yash Thakur ripped through their top order with an incisive opening spell, dismissing both openers inside the first five overs. His early breakthroughs, combined with disciplined bowling from the rest of the attack, left Sri Lanka three wickets down within the first ten overs and effectively ended their chances early in the chase.
Despite fighting knocks from Sadeera Samarawickrama, Sahan Arachchige, Wanuja Sahan and Vijaykanth Viyaskanth, Sri Lanka A never recovered from the early damage and continued to lose wickets at regular intervals. Their batting approach, focused heavily on aggression, failed to pay off against India’s structured bowling attack.
Although Sri Lanka’s lower order managed to extend the innings into the final stages, the target always remained out of reach. India eventually sealed a comprehensive 66-run victory to claim the title.
The final also highlighted India A’s growth over the tournament, particularly the composed batting of Tilak Varma, who played a stabilising role in the middle order and helped guide the team through pressure situations. Combined with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s explosive breakthrough performance and a clinical bowling display, India A ended the series with a dominant and well-rounded performance.
