Dambulla: India A youngster Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was involved in a tense on-field altercation with Sri Lanka A players following his side’s Super Over defeat in the tri-nation series clash in Dambulla on Monday.
The dramatic encounter, which had already been marred by controversy over poor light and officiating decisions, ended on a sour note as emotions spilled over after the final result.
Heated moment after Super Over
After Sri Lanka A posted 16 runs in the Super Over, India A’s hopes rested on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Suryansh Shedge. However, the pair could only manage nine runs, handing the hosts victory in a nail-biting finish.
As Sooryavanshi walked off the field, visibly frustrated, he appeared to react to comments from celebrating Sri Lankan players. The 15-year-old approached one of the players angrily and was seen pushing him, triggering a brief confrontation.
Other Sri Lanka A players quickly intervened, preventing the situation from escalating further. Sooryavanshi and Shedge were then seen walking away, although the young batter continued to look back and express his frustration.
Match filled with drama
The altercation capped off a match already filled with tension. The game had ended in a tie after Sri Lanka A reached 265/9 while chasing India A’s total of 265.
There was significant debate over whether a Super Over should be played due to fading light, leading to prolonged discussions between players, captains and match officials before the tie-breaker was eventually held.
India A’s fightback in vain
Earlier in the match, India A recovered from a precarious 143 for seven thanks to a brilliant 104-run partnership between Suryansh Shedge (72 off 66) and Vipraj Nigam (51 off 49).
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi provided a quick start at the top with 21 off 14 balls, hitting a six and a couple of boundaries before falling to off-spinner Sahan Arachchige.
Tilak Varma (23) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (32) steadied the innings briefly with a 52-run stand, but Sri Lanka’s spinners struck back on a slow surface to put India under pressure.
Sri Lanka A hold nerve
Sri Lanka A showed improved composure compared to their earlier outing in the series, where they had let a winning position slip. This time, they took the game deep and managed to level the scores on the final ball of regulation play.
Their clinical performance in the Super Over ensured victory, pushing them closer to qualification for the final.
Second loss for India A
The defeat marked India A’s second loss in the competition, having earlier gone down to Afghanistan A. While the team showed resilience with the bat, the controversial finish and post-match scenes overshadowed their efforts.
Conclusion
The match will be remembered as much for its dramatic cricket as for the heated exchange that followed. While such intensity reflects the high stakes of competitive cricket, the incident involving Sooryavanshi has once again raised questions about on-field conduct and handling pressure, especially among young players.