IND A Vs AFG A Highlights, Tri-Nation Series: Tilak Varma-led Side Storm Into Final After 101-Run Victory

Hello cricket fans! Welcome to the live coverage of match 5 of the India A vs Afghanistan A match at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium. Stay tuned for the live score and real-time updates of the match.

Afghanistan A won the toss and elected to bowl against India A in Dambulla.

Priyansh Arya, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma(c), Kumar Kushagra(w), Nishant Sindhu, Suryansh Shedge, Vipraj Nigam, Anukul Roy, Anshul Kamboj, Yash Thakur

Priyansh Arya smacks a beautiful boundary to get things going for India A in Dambulla A. India gets 7 runs from the first over of Faridoon. Both Priyansh and Sooryavanshi have the responsibility of getting their team to a blistering start.

IND A 7/0 (1)

Priyansh Arya and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi gives a 36-run brisk start in the first six over. While Arya looked comfortable at the crease, Sooryavanshi has been a bit scratchy so far and even survived two chances in the first five overs. It was a controversial catch replay that saved him the first time, while Afghan fielder dropped an easy catch to give the teenager his second life of the day.

IND A 36/0 (6)

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's flashy innings comes to an end as he mistimes a short ball, which takes his edge and lands in the short extra cover fielder. The teenager departs after scoring 38 off 28 balls. Meanwhile, Priyansh Arya, who opened today in place of Prabhsimran Singh scored a half-century off 34 balls. The southpaw opener has already slammed eight fours and a six in his ongoing innings.

IND A 97/1 (12)

Priyansh Arya, who was looking fluent at the crease departs after scoring 58 runs off 42 balls. Arya tried to smash short delivery towards the point region but could only hit it into the hands of the point fielder. Tilak Varma joined the in-form Ruturaj Gaikwad at the crease but soon the latter also got dismissed in an unlucky manner down the leg side at the score of 30.

IND A 129/3 (17.3)

India A lost the wickets of Priyansh Arya and Ruturaj Gaikwad in quick succession, however, they are still in a strong position as skipper Tilak Varma and Kumar Kushagra stitched an unbeaten 30-run stand for the 4th wicket to take India to 159 runs in 23 overs. India would want these batters to go on for long as possible and build a solid base for rest of the batters to capitalize on.

IND A 159/3 (23)

The 4th wicket stand between skipper Tilak Varma and Kumar Kushagra is going from strength to strength. Both batters have forged an unbeaten stand of 73 runs and are still going strong. They have been successful in maintaining a run-rate of over six runs an over. Afghanistan A need to take quick wickets in the match or else India will reach to a strong first innings.

IND A 202/3 (32)

The fourth wicket stand between Tilak Varma and Kumar Kushagra which exceeded the hundred run-mark is finally broken by pacer Faridoon Dawwodzai as he cleans up Kumar Kushagra. The batter tried to be aggressive and charged the bowler but Faridoon stuck to his line and length and eventually rattled Kushagra's stumps, who departs after scoring 58 runs off 67 balls.

IND A 233/4 (38)

Skipper Tilak Varma departs after scoring a well-made 59 off 75 balls. Abdullah Ahmadzai was the batter, who got the well-timed wicket as a set Tilak could be a very dangerous batter at the death. Vipraj Nigam joins Nishant Sindhu in the middle.

IND A 274/6 (45)

India A manage 8 runs from the last over to finish the first innings at 319/8. While the Men In Blue weren't able to unleash as freely as they would have liked at the death but still they managed to get to a score, which is well-over 300. The India A bowlers would fancy themselves to restrict AFG A batters within the target.

IND 319/8 (50)

India have got the desired start as they got the priced wicket opener Hassan Eisakhil. Medim pacer, Yash Thakur gets Eiskhil caught by Ruturaj Gaikwad at the score of 14. It's a big loss for Afghanistan as he was one of the those batters, who crucial role in their win over India in the last match.

AFG 39/1 (4)

Anshul Kamboj digs it in short outside off, and Bahir Shah goes for the pull but doesn’t quite time it cleanly. It loops off the bat and drops safely back over the bowler’s head. A couple of runs taken as the fielders chase it down, not pretty, but it does the job.

Nishant Sindhu is in the thick of it again, this time it’s a straightforward chance that should’ve been dealt with. Faisal Shinozada strokes it back towards the left of the bowler, but Sindhu just doesn’t get down cleanly enough. It sneaks past him, and that’s all the batters needed. They’re quick to react, steal a single, and it’s another one India will feel they let slip.

Nishant Sindhu floats it up well outside off, but Bahir Shah is all over it. He drops low, gets under it, and absolutely launches the sweep over mid-wicket. Clean connection, no stopping that one, it sails over the in-ring fielder’s leap and races away to the boundary. That’s a statement shot, right off the middle.

Anukul Roy gives it some air on middle and Faisal Shinozada meets it with a neat push towards mid-on. Nothing fancy, just soft hands and quick thinking. He’s off immediately for the single, and they get it comfortably before the fielder can even think of a direct hit.

Anukul Roy tosses it up and Bahir Shah is right on it again, sinking low and sweeping it with confidence. He places it neatly behind square on the leg side, timing it well enough to just roll away for a single. Easy, controlled, and keeping the scoreboard ticking.

Vipraj Nigam gets the breakthrough, and Bahir Shah’s fine innings is cut short!

He tosses it up nicely, draws the batter into the big shot, and Bahir goes hard across the line. The connection isn’t clean though, a massive top edge flies straight up and drifts towards long-off. Suryansh Shedge settles underneath it and makes no mistake.

Bahir Shah falls for 57 off 52 balls, an innings built on fluency and intent, but undone by one mistimed swing. India A strike again in quick succession and tighten their grip on the contest.

Suryansh Shedge strikes, and Farmanullah Safi has to go!

He goes full and straight on this occasion, nips it back in, and Safi is caught right in front while playing across the line. No doubt from the umpire’s end, the finger goes up immediately.

Farmanullah Safi falls for 17 off 17, an innings with a bit of spark but cut short by the straight one. Another breakthrough, and Shedge is right in the thick of the action again.

A dominant 101-run victory keeps India A firmly in the hunt for a place in the final, and they delivered when it mattered most. The Tilak Varma-led side treated it like a must-win clash and responded in style, sealing the result emphatically.

Nishant Sindhu starred with four wickets to wrap up the second innings inside 37 overs, while earlier, a collective effort from the batting unit powered India A to 320, ultimately a total far beyond the opposition’s reach.

That's a Wrap From Dambulla!

India A rise to the occasion in a must-win encounter, defeating Afghanistan A to secure their place in the Tri-Nation Series final. The players laid the foundation for a massive total, before the bowlers wrapped up the job with a disciplined performance. After the disappointment of the Super Over defeat to Sri Lanka A, the Men in Blue responded in style when it mattered most.

Thank you for joining us throughout this thrilling contest. We'll be back with complete coverage of the Tri-Nation Series Final, where India A will have one last shot at lifting the trophy.

Until then, goodbye and see you in the next blog!