Vaibhav Sooryavanshi delivered one of the most thrilling performances ever seen in List A cricket, as his explosive start propelled India A’s projected score to a jaw-dropping 910 runs during the Tri-Nation A Series final against Sri Lanka A in Dambulla on Sunday. The 15-year-old opener came out swinging from the very first ball, sending the live projection engine into a frenzy.
India A raced to an impressive 88 runs without losing a wicket in just 4.5 overs, boasting a staggering run rate of 18.21, which mathematically hinted at a potential total of around 910 over the full 50 overs. The sheer intensity of his assault was evident in the score progression: India A stood at 48/0 after 3 overs, 64/0 after 4, 88/0 after 5, and 104/0 after 6. These figures truly showcased Sooryavanshi’s dominance during the powerplay.
Kugathas Mathulan was hit for 12 runs off his first five deliveries as Sooryavanshi launched his attack straight down the ground. Dulaj Samuditha faced the brunt of his onslaught, with boundaries both square of the wicket and over the covers. Captain Sahan Arachchige attempted to introduce spin, but time and again, he watched in disbelief as the young talent charged down the pitch and cleared the infield.
Sooryavanshi eventually fell for a remarkable 94 runs off just 29 balls, smashing 10 fours and 8 sixes at an astonishing strike rate of 324.13. By the time he was dismissed in the 8.5th over, India A had already surged to 132/1. Earlier, he made history by reaching his half-century in a mere 11 balls, marking the fastest fifty in List A cricket.
Anukul Roy's Lower-Order Power-Hitting Helps India A Post 377/9
Despite losing a few wickets during the middle overs, India A was determined to finish strong. Anukul Roy made sure they did just that, blasting a quickfire 39 runs off just 15 balls. Coming in with the score at 330/7, he wasted no time, hitting 1 four and 4 sixes at an impressive strike rate of 260.00. Roy took charge in the final over bowled by Mathulan, sending the ball over the boundary three times before getting out on the last ball of the innings.
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Earlier in the match, Priyansh Arya contributed 32 runs off 32 balls, forming a dynamic opening partnership with Sooryavanshi. Ruturaj Gaikwad played a crucial role in stabilizing the innings with 40 runs from 51 balls, while captain Tilak Varma held the middle overs together with a solid 67 off 90 balls. Vipraj Nigam also added a handy 27 runs from 20 balls.
Owing to their efforts, India A bounced back from a slight dip in momentum to finish with a tournament-high score of 377/9. For Sri Lanka A, Wanuja Sahan and Ravindu Fernando each took two wickets, while Kugathas Mathulan managed to snag one wicket, even though he was hit around a bit in the final overs.
