Sri Lanka A captain Sahan Arachchige has denied claims that his team is targeting India A opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi ahead of the tournament final. Arachchige’s comments came after a heated group-stage clash between the two teams that ended with an on-field altercation and drew attention to their rivalry.
The Tri-Nation A Series final between India A and Sri Lanka A will be played at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Sunday, June 21. India A booked their place in the final with a 101-run win over Afghanistan A on June 17. Sri Lanka A later defeated Afghanistan A to secure their spot in the title clash.
Sri Lanka A Captain Breaks Silence on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Controversy
Sri Lanka A captain Sahan Arachchige clarified his team’s mindset ahead of the final against India A. He said that the emotions shown by players were a natural reaction to the pressure of a Super Over and denied any claims that Sri Lanka A were targeting Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
“The boys are not targeting anyone or anything. They are just enjoying themselves. In a close game like a Super Over, emotions come out. That’s normal,” he told Sportstar.
“There are a lot of experienced players in this team. They know what to do, and they know how to play,” he added.
What Happened Between Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Vishen Halambage?
The confrontation broke out after Sri Lanka A defeated India A in a Super Over during the group stage. Chasing 14 runs from the final three balls, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi could not take India A over the line. Sri Lanka A player Vishen Halambage approached him aggressively and exchanged words.
The players continued their verbal exchange before Vaibhav pushed Halambage away. Niroshan Dickwella stepped in and calmed the situation. Sri Lanka Cricket later fined Halambage for his role in the incident, while the BCCI chose not to take any action against Vaibhav.
According to a Cricbuzz report, Halambage had repeatedly sledged Vaibhav throughout the series. He reportedly told the young batter to return home and claimed that the tournament was not the IPL.
Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar said the India A management should have dropped Vaibhav for the next match against Afghanistan A as a disciplinary measure. Earlier in the tournament, India A had beaten Sri Lanka A by eight runs in their first group-stage meeting.
How Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Performed in the Tri-Nation A Series
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has had a modest tournament in Dambulla. The India A opener has scored 118 runs in four matches at an average of 29.50. However, he has maintained an impressive strike rate of 153.94 throughout the competition.
The young batter has shown his attacking intent at the crease but has struggled to convert promising starts into big scores. While he has played several quick knocks, he has not managed to register a match-defining innings in the tournament.
After Sunday’s final, Vaibhav and Tilak Varma will travel to Ireland to join the senior Indian squad for the two-match T20I series in Belfast. Vaibhav recently became the youngest player ever selected for India’s senior team, surpassing a 36-year-old record previously held by Sachin Tendulkar.
