Afghanistan A beat India A by 4 runs via DLS after Mir, Shah's 108-run stand
Synopsis
India A posted 349 and still lost. Afghanistan A's skipper Imran Mir and Bahir Shah shared an unbeaten 108-run stand to surge ahead of the DLS par score before rain ended play in Dambulla — a result that will sting India A's bowlers who managed just two wickets in the chase.
Key Takeaways
Afghanistan A defeated India A by four runs via the DLS method in Dambulla on 11 June .
India A posted 349/9 in 49 overs , with Prabhsimran Singh (84) , Ruturaj Gaikwad (66) , and Tilak Varma (66) the top scorers.
Abdullah Ahmadzai was Afghanistan A's best bowler, taking 5 for 68 .
Imran Mir (75 not out) and Bahir Shah (51 not out) shared an unbroken 108-run third-wicket stand to take Afghanistan A past the DLS par score.
Afghanistan A were 177/2 in 25.5 overs when rain forced abandonment, sealing the result under DLS.
Afghanistan A pulled off a stunning four-run victory over India A via the DLS method in a rain-interrupted 50-over match of the A Teams Tri-series at Dambulla on Thursday, 11 June, despite India A posting an imposing 349/9. A composed unbeaten stand of 108 runs between skipper Imran Mir and Bahir Shah proved the difference as persistent rain forced an early end.
India A's Commanding Innings
India A, sent in to bat first on a surface expected to assist seamers, came out swinging. Opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi set the tone with a blazing 44 off 22 balls, before Prabhsimran Singh top-scored with a fluent 84 to keep the momentum alive at the top of the order.
Despite the early dismissal of Priyansh Arya, India A stayed well placed. Captain Tilak Varma and vice-captain Ruturaj Gaikwad each contributed 66 runs, stitching a steady 78-run partnership that blunted the Afghan bowling attack through the middle overs.
A late surge came from Suryansh Shedge, whose 40 off 27 balls injected urgency into the final overs, with handy contributions from Anukul Roy and Vipraj Nigam pushing India A to 349/9 in a revised 49 overs. Afghanistan A's standout performer with the ball was Abdullah Ahmadzai, who claimed a five-wicket haul of 5 for 68, restricting India A from surpassing the 360-run mark.
Afghanistan A's DLS-Driven Chase
Set a revised target of 294 runs from 38 overs following multiple rain interruptions, Afghanistan A launched their chase aggressively. Hassan Eisakhil contributed 34 and shared a brisk 63-run opening stand with Mir to lay a solid foundation.
India A struck back through Arshad Khan and Anukul Roy, who removed Eisakhil and Khalid Taniwal respectively, but the hosts struggled to sustain pressure. Imran Mir anchored the innings with a composed 75 not out off 69 balls, while Bahir Shah counter-attacked with an unbeaten 51. Their unbroken 108-run third-wicket stand pushed Afghanistan A comfortably ahead of the DLS par score.
Rain Seals the Result
When rain returned and play was abandoned, Afghanistan A had reached 177/2 in 25.5 overs — ahead of the DLS par score by four runs. The match officials confirmed Afghanistan A as winners under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method, handing India A a defeat despite their imposing first-innings total.
Notably, this result underlines how DLS dynamics can overturn even substantial first-innings totals, a recurring theme in rain-affected limited-overs cricket. India A's bowlers, unable to take more than two wickets in the chase, also leave questions about their death-overs pressure in multi-team A-level tournaments.
Brief Scores
India A 349/9 in 49 overs (Prabhsimran Singh 84, Ruturaj Gaikwad 66, Tilak Varma 66; Abdullah Ahmadzai 5-68) lost to Afghanistan A 177/2 in 25.5 overs (Imran Mir 75 not out, Bahir Shah 51 not out; Anukul Roy 1-24, Arshad Khan 1-38) by four runs (via DLS method).
Point of View
Yet they leave Dambulla on the wrong side of the result. The DLS defeat exposes a structural weakness: India A's bowlers took only two wickets in 25.5 overs, never truly threatening Afghanistan's chase. Mir and Shah's 108-run stand was composed rather than reckless — India A had no answer. For a side featuring Ruturaj Gaikwad and Tilak Varma, the inability to defend near-350 in a rain-affected game will be the harder question to answer than the DLS arithmetic.
NationPress
9 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Afghanistan A beat India A despite India A scoring 349?
Afghanistan A won via the DLS method after rain repeatedly interrupted the match. Set a revised target of 294 from 38 overs, Afghanistan A reached 177/2 in 25.5 overs — four runs ahead of the DLS par score — before play was abandoned, handing them the victory.
Who were the top performers for Afghanistan A in the match?
Skipper Imran Mir top-scored with an unbeaten 75 off 69 balls, while Bahir Shah hit 51 not out. Their 108-run third-wicket partnership was the decisive contribution. Abdullah Ahmadzai was the standout bowler, claiming 5 for 68.
Who scored the most runs for India A?
Prabhsimran Singh top-scored for India A with 84 runs. Captain Tilak Varma and vice-captain Ruturaj Gaikwad each contributed 66, while Vaibhav Sooryavanshi provided a blazing 44 off 22 balls at the top of the order.
What was the revised DLS target for Afghanistan A?
Following multiple rain interruptions, Afghanistan A's target was revised to 294 runs from 38 overs under the DLS method. They surpassed the par score and were four runs ahead when rain ended play at 177/2 in 25.5 overs.
Where and when was the A Teams Tri-series match played?
The match was played in Dambulla, Sri Lanka, on 11 June as part of the A Teams Tri-series. Rain interrupted play on multiple occasions before the result was decided via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method.
