The much-awaited white-ball summer started with a classic thriller india-a But won breathlessly by 8 runs Sri Lanka-A in the opening match of one day triangular series On June 09, 2026 at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium. A masterclass century, in a game that swung like a pendulum under the skies of Dambulla Ruturaj Gaikwad It proved to be the golden systemic difference, helping India A successfully defend their total in a high-octane finish.
Ruturaj Gaikwad’s fighting century took India-A to a strong score
After being invited to bat, India A had a very bad start and their score reached 16/2 in the first five overs and they were in deep trouble. opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi (14) and Prabhsimran Singh (21) Fell quickly Mohammed Shiraz And Chamika Karunaratne Respectively. Priyansh Arya He played a quickfire 32 runs off 32 balls, including 4 fours and a six, before a costly run out cut his innings short at 69/3.
Unfazed by a crumbling top order, Gaikwad carried the innings forward with a brilliant, calculated Player of the Match performance. Gaikwad played the role of sheet anchor very well and scored 101 runs in 114 balls with the help of 6 brilliant fours and 3 skyscraper sixes. He found a capable partner in the captain Tilak VermaWho played a mature, patient inning of 60 runs in 97 balls. Together, they made a big partnership of 150 runs for the fourth wicket, which completely brought the team’s momentum back.
After Gaikwad was out in the 44th over. Vanujaa Sahan (1/35), Ayush Badoni (18 of 24) and a late explosive cameo Suryansh Shedge (26* off 14 balls) ensured India A could maximize the death overs. Despite a disciplined economic spell from Sahan and two wickets from Shiraz (2/67), India-A finished their quota of 50 overs at a strong score of 277/6.
Also read: Ruturaj Gaikwad, the Indian batsman who has scored the most List A centuries
India-A defeated Sri Lanka-A in the first match of ODI tri-series
Chasing a challenging target of 278, Sri Lanka-A counter-attacked strongly. opener Niroshan Dickwella (47 out of 45) and Avishka Fernando (45 out of 59) attacked the Indian bowlers and made a strong start of 93 runs. However, part-time spinner Badoni turned the game around by dismissing both the dangerous openers in quick succession, causing a mini-collapse that saw the hosts slip to 109/3.
Sadira Samarawickrama Continued chasing the target by scoring 46 runs, but he was the captain sahan archige Who almost snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Arachige, playing the captaincy innings, scored 74 runs in 72 balls with the help of 6 fours and 2 sixes. Just as Sri Lanka A looked set to cross the line, the Indian bowling unit, led by a brilliant spin display Anukul Roy (2/49) and Vipraraj Nigam (2/46), took the lead at the crucial juncture.
The match reached its peak in the final overs. With the tail exposed, Arshad Khan Delivered a lethal final spell, clearing the lower order and finishing with 2/24. Sri Lanka A lost its last four wickets for just 7 runs and were all out for 269 runs in 48.5 overs. India A held their composure and registered an incredible 8-run win, making a great start to their tri-series campaign.
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6️⃣ fours and 3️⃣ sixesVice-captain Ruturaj Gaikwad was named player of the match for his brilliant century.
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/nwKDTkg1ZY
(Player image credit: Sri Lanka Cricket). pic.twitter.com/pwSdE4zp5W
– BCCI (@BCCI) 9 June 2026
See also: Priyansh Arya faces strange run-out after clashing with Ruturaj Gaikwad in SL-A vs IND-A match
