Afghanistan A managed to pull off a dramatic four-run win over India A via the DLS (Duckworth-Lewis-Stern) method in the ongoing tri-series in Sri Lanka.
Afghanistan A edge out India A in rain-curtailed high-scoring affair
Despite a massive first-innings total from Tilak Varma-led side, a perfectly timed chase and a timely rain intervention handed the Afghans a tactical win.
Batting first, India A put on a spectacular batting display, posting a commanding 349/9 in their allotted 49 overs.
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India A's star opener Prabhsimran Singh led the charge, anchoring the innings with a fluent 75 runs to put India A in the driver's seat. Then came the talk of the town Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who cracked a blistering 22-ball 44 which was followed by 66-run knocks from Ruturaj Gaikwad and Tilak Varma which saw India A posting a colossal target despite Abdollah Ahmadzai's fiery 5/68.
DLS twist and Afghanistan's smart chase
The match took a dramatic turn during the second innings when heavy rain interrupted play. Because of the weather delay, officials reduced the game to 38 overs and mathematically recalculated Afghanistan A’s target from 350 down to 294.
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Afghanistan A timed their rain-interrupted chase to perfection. Propelled by an explosive start from captain Imran (75 off 70) and Hassan Eisakhil (34 off 29), the Afghans constantly hunted down the required rate. Bahir Shah then joined the party, shifting the momentum with a crucial 51 off 52 balls. Together with Imran, they steered the team to 177/2 in 25.5 overs before another heavy downpour halted play.
Because they smartly kept their foot on the gas, Afghanistan A found themselves four runs ahead of the DLS par score when the match was called off, sealing a hard-fought tactical victory.
Prabhsimran-Sooryavanshi-Ruturaj-Tilak's batting exploits in vain
Earlier in the day, India A put on a clinic with the bat to post a massive total on the board. The marquee performance was anchored by skipper Tilak Varma, vice-captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, and opener Prabhsimran Singh, who all slammed dominant half-centuries. For the majority of the innings, the Afghan bowling unit struggled heavily to stem the flow of runs.
The foundation was laid by young left-hander Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who blasted a furious 44 off just 22 balls. Operating at a staggering strike rate of 200, he found the boundary nine times without needing to clear the rope once, proving his elite ability to pierce the gaps. He and Prabhsimran put together a blistering 74-run opening stand in a mere 7.1 overs.
Abdollah Ahmadzai burns bright with fiery fifer
Sooryavanshi's cameo ultimately ended when he tried to ramp a bouncer outside off-stump, edging it behind to keeper Mohammad Ishaq. The breakthrough went to Abdollah Ahmadzai, who proved to be the shining light for Afghanistan's defense, bagging a stellar five-wicket haul (5/68).
Despite a brief stay from Priyansh Arya, India A refused to let the tempo drop. Prabhsimran paired up with Gaikwad to pile on 79 runs for the third wicket. While Prabhsimran fell to part-timer Imran Mir agonizingly close to a well-deserved century, Gaikwad marched on to register his second consecutive fifty-plus score of the tournament. Gaikwad then combined with Tilak for a smooth 78-run partnership, with the skipper also bringing up his second successive fifty.
A sudden double-blow threatened to derail the momentum in the 38th over, when Farmanullah Safi (3/85) dismissed both Gaikwad and Ayush Badoni on back-to-back deliveries. The quick wickets saw India momentarily slip from 245/3 to 245/5.
However, Tilak quickly found an aggressive partner in Suryansh Shedge (40 off 27 balls). The duo counter-attacked brilliantly, unlocking a 70-run partnership in just seven overs to effortlessly guide India A to 349/9.