The fourth match of the tri-nation ODI series had turned into a do-or-die contest for India A, and in that high-pressure clash the young sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi once again failed to convert a bright start into a big knock. Despite a quick-fire beginning, Vaibhav could manage only 21 runs before being dismissed after facing 13 balls. It marked his second consecutive disappointing outing against Sri Lanka A.
An explosive start that ended too soon
True to his attacking instincts, Vaibhav came out swinging and began going after the bowlers from the second over itself. In Chamika's over he first pulled a crisp boundary to the leg side and then launched a superb six. His brief but aggressive innings featured 3 fours and 1 six, but in his eagerness to keep the scoreboard ticking, he fell early.
How the innings began
India A's reply against Sri Lanka A was opened by Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Prabhsimran Singh. In the very first over, Prabhsimran Singh got off the mark with a single and handed the strike to Vaibhav, who promptly began accumulating runs at a rapid pace.
The toss and the match situation
Sri Lanka A won the toss and chose to bowl first, inviting India A to bat. The fixture carried huge significance for India A, who had suffered a defeat to Afghanistan A via the DLS method in their second outing. With their place in the series on the line, a win here was essential.
The suspense over Vaibhav's fitness
Ahead of the game, all eyes were firmly on Vaibhav Suryavanshi, but there had been worrying news surrounding him as well. Just before this match against Sri Lanka A, Vaibhav had picked up an injury during practice and was forced to leave the field, which is why there was uncertainty over whether he would play. Selected in the India A side for the first time, Vaibhav had not begun the tri-series well, but his powerful display against Afghanistan A had raised expectations, leaving fans hoping to once again witness his storming batting.
India A's playing eleven
India A fielded the following eleven for this match — Prabhsimran Singh (wicketkeeper), Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma (captain), Ayush Badoni, Suryansh Shedge, Nishant Sindhu, Anukul Roy, Arshad Khan, Vipraj Nigam and Yash Thakur.
Full squads of both teams
India A: Prabhsimran Singh (wicketkeeper), Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Priyansh Arya, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma (captain), Ayush Badoni, Suryansh Shedge, Anukul Roy, Arshad Khan, Vipraj Nigam, Anshul Kamboj, Yash Thakur, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Kumar Kushagra, Nishant Sindhu.
Sri Lanka A: Niroshan Dickwella (wicketkeeper), Avishka Fernando, Vishen Halambage, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Ahan Wickramasinghe, Sahan Arachchige (captain), Wanuja Sahan, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Kugathas Mathulan, Chamika Gunasekara, Mohammad Shiraz, Chamika Karunaratne, Nuwanidu Fernando, Ravindu Fernando, Garuka Sanketh, Dulaj Samuditha.
The venue and where the series stands
The contest is being played at the Dambulla Cricket Stadium. This is the second time India A and Sri Lanka A have met in the series. When the two sides clashed earlier, India A came away with a commanding victory, giving the team the confidence to walk into this important encounter.
