Priyansh Arya Blazes 34-Ball Fifty in India A vs Afghanistan A Tri-Series Clash

In the fifth match of the tri-series between India A and Afghanistan A, young opener Priyansh Arya delivered a scintillating performance, smashing a half-century off just 34 balls. His explosive innings, featuring nine fours and one six, not only outperformed his opening partner Vaibhav Suryavanshi in strike rate but also propelled India A into a commanding position. Arya, who had previously batted at number three in the series, seized his preferred opening slot with a display of aggressive and fearless batting, leaving the Afghan bowlers struggling for answers.

Arya's knock came under the spotlight after pre-match attention had been focused on teenage sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who had been involved in a controversy with Sri Lankan players earlier. Suryavanshi contributed a steady 38 runs at a strike rate of 135, but it was Arya's blistering start that set the tone for India A's innings. The left-hander reached his fifty in the 34th delivery and continued to punish the bowling attack until he fell for 58 off 42 balls.

The dismissal occurred in the 15th over when Arya attempted a big shot against Faridullah Saifi but was caught at backward point by Shamsur Rahman, undone by extra bounce. Despite his departure, the foundation he laid—coupled with the ongoing efforts of Ruturaj Gaikwad (18 not out) and Tilak Varma (yet to open his account)—kept India A on course for a substantial total. At the time of writing, India A had reached 117 runs in 16 overs.

Arya's fifty was his first in the series, following earlier scores of 8 and 32. His performance underscores the depth of talent in Indian domestic cricket and provides a significant boost to the team's campaign in the tri-series.