Afghanistan A pulled off a memorable four-run DLS victory over India A in the Sri Lanka A-Team Tri-Series on Thursday (June 11), overcoming a daunting
target and a 349-run first innings total to register one of their most impressive wins in recent years.
India A looked firmly in control after posting 349/9 in 49 overs, powered by half-centuries from Prabhsimran Singh, Ruturaj Gaikwad and captain Tilak Varma. However, rain interruptions and a disciplined chase from Afghanistan A turned the contest on its head, with skipper Imran Mir and Bahir Shah steering their side to a famous win in Dambulla.
Sooryavanshi Continues to Impress
One of the biggest positives for India A was another fearless display from 15-year-old sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
After making an impact against Sri Lanka A earlier in the tournament, the teenage opener once again showcased his immense potential. Sooryavanshi got off the mark in style, punching his first two deliveries through cover-point for boundaries and immediately putting the Afghanistan attack under pressure.
The youngster relied heavily on timing rather than brute force, striking nine boundaries during his 22-ball stay. Although he failed to clear the ropes, his 44-run knock provided India A with a flying start and further strengthened his growing reputation following a stellar IPL 2026 campaign.
With the selectors closely monitoring India's emerging talent pool ahead of upcoming white-ball assignments, Sooryavanshi continues to make a compelling case for higher honours.
Prabhsimran Singh Anchors India's Charge
While Sooryavanshi provided the fireworks, Prabhsimran Singh played the role of aggressor with remarkable consistency.
The Punjab wicketkeeper-batter punished anything full through the covers and showcased excellent footwork against spin. He reached his half-century off just 39 deliveries and maintained the momentum through the middle overs.
Interestingly, his first dozen boundaries all came on the off side, highlighting his dominance square and through the covers. Prabhsimran eventually fell for 84 while attempting an innovative paddle scoop against Afghanistan captain Imran Mir, but not before laying a strong platform for a massive total.
His partnership with Ruturaj Gaikwad ensured India A remained firmly on course for a score well beyond 300.
Gaikwad and Tilak Maintain Control
Fresh from a century against Sri Lanka A, Ruturaj Gaikwad once again demonstrated why he remains one of India's most dependable batters outside the senior setup.
Unlike the explosive opening pair, Gaikwad adopted a measured approach, rotating strike efficiently and allowing Prabhsimran to dominate. After the opener's dismissal, he stitched together a valuable 78-run partnership with captain Tilak Varma.
The duo expertly managed the middle overs, ensuring there was no collapse while keeping the scoreboard moving through singles and doubles. Both batters reached their half-centuries before accelerating towards the death overs.
Gaikwad eventually departed for 66 while attempting to increase the scoring rate, while Tilak registered his second successive fifty of the tournament. Late contributions from Suryansh Shedge and Anukul Roy helped India A finish with a commanding 349/9.
Afghanistan A Refuse to Fold
Rain during the innings break significantly altered the complexion of the contest.
Afghanistan A's revised target became 294 from 38 overs under the DLS method, effectively turning the chase into a high-tempo pursuit from the outset.
Openers Hassan Eisakhil and Imran Mir embraced the challenge. Eisakhil attacked aggressively during the powerplay, helping Afghanistan stay ahead of the required DLS rate.
India A eventually struck through Arshad Khan, who removed Eisakhil after the opener had raced to 34 from just 29 deliveries. However, Afghanistan never allowed the scoring rate to dip.
India A Bowlers Fail to Capitalise
Despite defending a substantial total, India A's bowling attack struggled to exert sustained pressure.
New-ball bowlers Anshul Kamboj and Arshad Khan found little movement and rarely troubled the Afghan batters. Among the spinners, Anukul Roy looked the most threatening, dismissing Khalid Taniwal with a clever arm ball.
However, Vipraj Nigam and Ayush Badoni failed to build pressure from the opposite end, allowing Afghanistan's batters to continue accumulating freely.
The inability to take wickets at regular intervals proved costly, particularly with the DLS equation constantly in play.
Imran Mir Leads from the Front
The standout performer for Afghanistan A was captain Imran Mir.
Having already made an impact with the ball by dismissing Prabhsimran, Mir anchored the chase superbly. He remained unbeaten on 75 from 70 deliveries and ensured Afghanistan stayed ahead of the par score throughout the innings.
Bahir Shah provided excellent support with an unbeaten 51 from 52 balls as the pair expertly managed the conditions and match situation.
When rain and bad light finally halted play, Afghanistan A were four runs ahead on the DLS calculation, sealing a famous victory.
Bigger Questions for India A
While India A's batting unit continues to produce runs, the defeat exposed concerns about their bowling depth and ability to adapt to changing match situations.
The performances of Sooryavanshi, Prabhsimran, Gaikwad and Tilak will encourage the selectors, but the bowling attack's inability to make inroads and pick up wickets will undoubtedly be scrutinised.
