Watch: India A lose to Sri Lanka A in Super over thriller — Last-ball heartbreak in Dambulla

Sri Lanka A defeated India A by seven runs in a dramatic Super Over to win the fourth match of the tri-nation series in Dambulla on Monday. After the scores were tied at the end of the match, the contest went into a Super Over, where Sri Lanka A held their nerve to secure an important victory.

Batting first in the Super Over, Sri Lanka A openers Avishka Fernando and Sahan Arachchige scored 18 runs without losing a wicket against India A pacer Arshad Khan. In reply, India A needed 19 runs to win, but Sri Lankan bowler Kugathas Mathulan produced an excellent over to restrict Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Suryansh Shedge to 16/0, sealing the win for the hosts.

The drama did not end with the final ball. As Sri Lanka's A players began celebrating their victory, tensions flared on the field. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi appeared unhappy over an incident and was involved in a brief confrontation with some Sri Lankan players. The situation threatened to escalate before senior wicketkeeper-batter Niroshan Dickwella stepped in to calm both sides. The dramatic finish has since gone viral on social media.

Watch the dramatic Super Over video here.

The last-ball miss that broke a nation's heart — What exactly happened in the super over

Sri Lanka A batted first in the Super Over and got off to a steady start. Sahan Arachchige collected two runs off the first ball from Arshad Khan and then added a single after a controversial wide call on the next delivery. Avishka Fernando took a single off the third ball before Sahan ran three runs from a well-placed drive. The turning point came on the fifth ball when Fernando cleared long-on for a six, taking Sri Lanka A to 14. The final delivery brought even more drama as Fernando was caught off a waist-high full toss, but the ball was called a no-ball. A bye on the extra delivery helped Sri Lanka A finish with 18 runs.

India A needed 19 runs to win and sent Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Suryansh Shedge to the crease. Kugathas Mathulan started brilliantly, conceding only two runs from the first ball as Shedge managed a couple. The second delivery was a perfect yorker and resulted in a dot ball. Shedge then mistimed a shot for a single on the third ball, handing the strike to Vaibhav. The young batter could only manage two runs off the fourth delivery, leaving India needing a big finish.

See also -Watch: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi & Sri Lanka-A players in heated spat — SL-A vs IND-A Tri-Series 2026

With the pressure mounting, Vaibhav flicked the fifth ball for a boundary after a fumble from the short fine-leg fielder. However, India still needed a miracle on the final delivery. Mathulan held his nerve and delivered a pinpoint yorker. Vaibhav swung hard but failed to make contact, resulting in a dot ball. India A finished on 9/0 in the Super Over, seven runs short of the target, as Sri Lanka A players erupted in celebration after a thrilling victory.

Why Did the India A vs Sri Lanka A Match Go to a Super Over?

The fourth match of the tri-series between India A and Sri Lanka A produced a thrilling finish after both teams ended with the same score of 265 runs. Batting first, India A posted 265 thanks to a brilliant 72-run knock from Suryansh Shedge. Contributions from Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi also helped India reach a competitive total.

Sri Lanka A faced early setbacks in the chase, but Sadeera Samarawickrama kept the hosts in the contest with a superb innings of 93 runs from 113 balls. He received support from Niroshan Dickwella and Avishka Fernando, who made useful contributions at the top of the order. Their efforts helped Sri Lanka stay in the hunt throughout the chase.

See also -Vipraj Nigam penalised rare 10 runs for repeatedly running in the danger zone against Sri Lanka A

In the end, Sri Lanka A managed to level the scores at 265, forcing the match into a Super Over. With no team able to gain an advantage during the regular 50 overs, the winner had to be decided through the one-over eliminator. Sri Lanka A eventually held their nerve in the Super Over to secure a dramatic victory over India A.

India A vs Sri Lanka A 2026 Tri-Series: What this super over loss means for India's campaign

Despite the Super Over defeat to Sri Lanka A, India A remain in a strong position in the 2026 Tri-Series. Led by Tilak Varma, the team began the tournament with an impressive win over Sri Lanka A and followed it up with another victory against Afghanistan A. Those two wins helped India A build an early advantage in the points table.

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The loss in Dambulla will be disappointing because India A came very close to securing another victory. However, the team still has valuable points from its earlier matches and remains one of the strongest contenders to reach the final. The match also provided useful experience for several young players in a high-pressure situation.

Going forward, India A will look to learn from this defeat and focus on the remaining matches. With a talented squad and a positive start to the tournament, Tilak Varma's side still has a strong chance of finishing at the top of the standings and qualifying for the final.