Media365
India A’s chase of 195 in the Asia Cup Rising Stars semifinal began at a blistering tempo thanks to an explosive cameo from opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, whose 15-ball 38 laid the platform for a high-octane pursuit. Facing a demanding equation from the outset, India A needed early momentum, and Sooryavanshi delivered exactly that with an innings packed with clean hitting and intent. His strike rate of 253.33 underlined the impact he made in a very short period, striking two fours and four towering sixes, many of them straight and over the arc between long-on and mid-wicket.From the first over itself, Sooryavanshi looked in complete command, clearing his front leg and taking on the Bangladesh The mandatory powerplay yielded 62 runs, and Sooryavanshi accounted for a major share of them, pushing Bangladesh A onto the back foot. His 53-run opening stand with Priyansh Arya came in just 22 balls, setting the scoring rate well above the requirement and giving India A early ascendancy.His dismissal at 53-1 in 3.4 overs, caught by Jishan Alam off Abdul Gaffar Saqlain, momentarily halted India A’s charge, but by then he had done enough to ensure a strong foundation. The wicket brought a brief slowdown, especially with Naman Dhir struggling to find rhythm, consuming 12 balls for his seven before falling at 66-2 in 6.2 overs. At that point, India A needed 129 runs from 82 balls, a challenging but manageable target given their long batting lineup.Priyansh Arya, batting on 21 off 11, continued to keep the scoreboard moving, but the responsibility now shifts to the middle order, Nehal Wadhera, captain-keeper Jitesh Sharma, and the power-hitters to follow, to convert Sooryavanshi ’s early brilliance into a match-winning chase.
