SL-A vs IND-A

ODI Tri-Series In Sri Lanka · Match 4

Recent overs

Ov 1
201240
9 runs

Commentary

As a result of all the drama that has unfolded today, the match between India A and Afghanistan A after a day's gap on June 15 will now be a virtual knockout. Remember, the last contest between the two teams was won by the Afghans courtesy the DLS method as rain played spoilsport. The hosts can relax for a couple of days before they play their last league game. It has been an absoute rollercoaster that has left some of us with a bitter taste in our mouths and we would do well to catch a break now, this is Sourabh Agrawal signing off on behalf of Darpan Tikiya and the rest of the team. See you soon!
Sahan Arachchige (Sri Lanka A captain): The feeling was good, we were looking to win the match. Sadeera batted really well, the bowlers bowled really well. Chamira and Viyaskanth bated really well, suported Sadeera. Really happy. (plans moving forward) Not too many plans, just play our normal game and read the pitch
Tilak Verma (India A captain) : In this series, the games were really close. The first one as well, this one went to a draw and unfortunately we lost. (recovery from 143/7 to 265) Credit goes to Suryansh and Vipraj for their partnership. From there to get to 265 was tremendous to watch. Spinners also bowled well,  we bowled really well overall. Arshad also bowled well for us at the death
Sadeera Samarawickrama is the Player of the Match. He says, "When the ball got softer, it (the pitch) was tough to bat on. The wicket was dry. I wanted to bat deep, like till the last two overs. I managed to do that and I think every one did their job well."
6:35 PM local time and IST: MATCH SUMMARY

Sri Lanka A win the Super Over and qualify for the Final of the tri-series

Sri Lanka A (265/9 in 50 overs and 18/0 in the Super Over) beat India A (265 all-out in 49.2 overs and 9/0 in the Super Over)

Sadeera Samarawickrama 93(113) | Vijayakanth Viyaskanth 3/26(10)
Suryansh Shedge 72(66) | Ayush Badoni 2/45(9)

PHEW! What a ride, we all can breathe now. This was better than any soap opera. Completely unhinged, unflitered, unscripted drama that had it all and in the end it is nice to see that the two sides finish with handshakes.

This will keep making the rounds in the coming days, you can be sure of that but the underline is that Sri Lanka A have come out of it with the two points and booked themselves a place in the final of this tri-series that they are playing hosts too

India A gave it all they had, they fought with the bat to begin with, a 104-run partnership for the 9th wicket between Suryansh Shedge and Vipraj Nigam after being reduced to 143/7 and then a combined team effort with the ball refusing to give up till the last ball which took the contest into a Super Over which itself took a lot of convincing from the skipper Tilak Verma who was not happy till the end and then the 15-year old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi felt the pressure in the end not being able to finish the job with the bat as Kugathas Mathulan kept nailing yorkers in the Super Over with the two of them getting into a verbal war when the contest between bat and ball finally finished

But, as is almost often the case, the team that played better cricket on the day won the match despite everything. Got to doff your hats to Sadeera Samirawickrama who kept losing partners after walking into bat at 75/2 in the 8th over. He had several mini partnerships with his teammates but as soon as they started to look in control, India A picked up a wicket to remain in the contest and that kept going to till the end

Useful 25 from Wanuja Sahan and then 18s from Viyaskanth and Gunasekara kept Sri Lanka going as Samarawickrama held one end up, even though he was badly struggling with cramps towards the end. Less than a week ago, Sri Lanka A threw it away needing 17 off 17 with 4 wickets in hand but they did not repeat the same mistake again

They kept taking the singles, even though India threw everything they had they at them, the hosts found a way to eek out a Super Over. Arshad Khan bowled a superb final over for India A giving away just 4 runs when Sri Lanka A needed 5, he nailed the yorkers one after the another but in the Super Over he finally missed a couple and Avishka Fernando took full too punishing him

19 to win in the Super Over was never going to be easy, more so in the fading light and even more so after your team has already gone off the park thinking the bowling has completed but you are called back as the last ball turned out to be a no ball for height. India A, incluiding their skipper Tilak Verma, seemd to lose the plot with the skipper having multiple arguments with the on field umpires. Sri Lanka A, on the other hand, remained calm, played the cricket that was needed and came out deserved winners
1Ov9/0Score
2012409 runs
Kugathas Mathulan0/9
0.6 Kugathas Mathulan to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, fantastic wide yorker from Mathulan. He lets out a vehement shriek of joy as Sooryavanshi fails to dig it out. OH! There is an altercation in the middle. Both youngsters seem to be pushing each other. The seniors come in between to separate them. Handshakes follow. Sri Lanka-A have won it in the Super Over. 
0.5 Kugathas Mathulan to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, on a length, at the pads. Sooryavanshi swishes his bat hard and the ball goes past the diving short fine leg fielder for FOUR! However, the target is already out of India-A's reach barring no-balls or wides. 
0.4 Kugathas Mathulan to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, very full, at the off pole. Sooryavanshi wanted to give it a whack and swung very hard too. However, he did not find the elevation. The ball goes trickling along the turf towards long-off and allows two runs. 
0.3 Kugathas Mathulan to Suryansh Shedge, very full, outside off. Shedge tries to drag it from there to the leg side. He mistimes it towards deep midwicket and gets only one. Sooryavanshi on strike.
0.2 Kugathas Mathulan to Suryansh Shedge, very full — nearly a yorker, outside off. Shedge can only dig it out back to the bowler, who dives to stop it. No run to be had.
0.1 Kugathas Mathulan to Suryansh Shedge, starts with a length ball outside off from over the wicket. Shedge stands firm, heaves it to deep midwicket and gets two runs. 
Kugathas Mathulan's Opening Bowling spell
Suryansh Shedge opening at non-striker's end
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi opening at striker's end
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi at the non-strikers end and Suryansh Shedge will take the strike for India A, Mathulan to bowl his slingers in the fading light. 19 needed, let's go again

Sri Lanka A have smashed 18 in the Super Over and their camp is applauding, Tilak Verma is still having conversations with the umpire. The momentum is all with the hosts, not sure what Tilak is trying to say there but one thing is for sure that he is not done. His batters need 19 to win the Super Over anf the match, the Sri Lankan team is out in the middle for their fielding effort but we are continuing with the drama. Don't think we've seen anything like this ever before, the umpire taking a reading on the light meter now
1Ov18/0Score
21wd11363nb1b18 runs
0.6 Arshad Khan to Avishka Fernando, another high full toss, way outside off. Avishka wafts and misses. They run through for a bye. Sri Lanka A have scored 18/0.
No ball for height, even the on-air commentators are surprised. The Indian team had gone off the ground, they are being called back. Sooryavanshi already has the pads on, more time being wasted as it continues to get darker in Dambulla. Tilak Verma is having an animated chat with the fourth umpire and then Vaibhav Sooryavanshi pushes him into the field, to carry on. One ball still remaining, can Arshad land the yorker?
0.6 Arshad Khan to Avishka Fernando, HIGH FULL TOSS... MISCUED.. CAUGHT! However, Avishka stands his ground. He believes it should be a no-ball for height. The umpires take it upstairs. A hint of width on offer. Avishka swung his bat hard — of course, he had to. The ball went high and was caught at mid-on. The TV umpire rules it as a no-ball. The India-A players had already walked off. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi had already put his pads on. But the umpires have called them back. What's more? Free hit coming up.