Dominant India A crushes Afghanistan to reach championship final
Dominant batting and sharp bowling secured India A an emphatic 101-run victory over Afghanistan A in Dambulla, booking their spot in the tri-series final. This victory reinforces India’s deep talent pool, traditionally nurturing future international stars on tricky Sri Lankan pitches.
Facing intense pressure after mixed early tournament results, the Indian top order delivered beautifully. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Priyansh Arya built a strong opening foundation. Arya smashed a rapid 58 from only 32 balls. Following a few quick dismissals, Tilak Varma and Kumar Kushagra carefully steadied the innings. Both batters scored patient half-centuries, coming together to mount a solid 104-run partnership. Late energetic contributions from Nishant Sindhu and Vipraj Nigam eventually pushed the final total to a commanding 319 for eight.
Chasing 320 proved too difficult for the Afghan side. Faisal Shinozada and Bahir Shah briefly threatened with an 87-run stand, fighting back bravely after early losses. However, Sindhu completely derailed their momentum. He claimed four crucial wickets for just 31 runs. Yash Thakur provided strong support with two dismissals, wrapping up the Afghan innings for 218. Sindhu deservedly claimed Player of the Match honours for his match-winning all-round display.
With Inputs from Agency Threads and Image Courtesy: ANI
