India A enter the contest after a heartbreaking Super Over defeat against Sri Lanka A. In a match packed with controversy and drama, Suryansh Shedge and Vipraj Nigam rescued the side from trouble with a century stand before the game was tied and eventually decided in a Super Over. Heated exchanges and disagreements with the umpires overshadowed the thrilling contest, with youngster Vaibhav Sooryavanshi involved in a post-match altercation.
Captain Tilak Varma will expect his batting unit to provide a stronger start, with Ruturaj Gaikwad and Prabhsimran Singh carrying the responsibility at the top. The middle order, featuring Ayush Badoni, Nishant Sindhu and Shedge, showed signs of promise against Sri Lanka A, while Arshad Khan’s impressive bowling in the death overs offered positives despite the defeat.
Afghanistan A, led by Imran Mir, possess several dangerous players in Hassan Eisakhil, Bahir Shah and wicketkeeper Mohammad Ishaq. Their spin attack, spearheaded by experienced left-arm wrist spinner Zahir Khan, could prove a major challenge on the Dambulla surface.
With a place in the final hanging in the balance, India A will need to quickly move on from the disappointment of Monday’s defeat and produce a complete performance in what promises to be a high-pressure encounter.
The match begins at 10 am local time (4.30 am GMT) in Dambulla.
India A and Afghanistan A Squads:
Afghanistan A Squad: Imran Mir(c), Hassan Eisakhil, Khalid Taniwal, Bahir Shah, Farmanullah Safi, Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai, Mohammad Ishaq(w), Shams Ur Rahman, Abdullah Ahmadzai, Zahir Khan, Khalil Gurbaz, Noor ul Rahman, Faridoon Dawoodzai, Ishaq Rahimi, Faisal Khan Ahmadzai, Mohammad Ibrahim
India A Squad: Prabhsimran Singh(w), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma(c), Ayush Badoni, Nishant Sindhu, Suryansh Shedge, Anukul Roy, Vipraj Nigam, Arshad Khan, Yash Thakur, Anshul Kamboj, Priyansh Arya, Kumar Kushagra, Ashok Sharma