India A's hopes of defending 265 against Sri Lanka A in the fourth match of the Tri-Nation A Series received a setback after a costly fielding error and a controversial penalty left the hosts in a strong position during the run chase on Monday.

Sri Lanka A's chase was anchored by experienced batter Sadeera Samarawickrama, who scored a half-century and steadied the innings despite regular wickets falling at the other end. India A managed to pick up five wickets through a combined effort from Nishant Sindhu, Ayush Badoni, Vipraj Nigam and Suryansh Shedge. However, a dropped catch by Shedge handed Sri Lanka A a crucial lifeline during the pursuit.

Earlier, India A posted 265 after recovering from a shaky start. Suryansh Shedge led the recovery with an important 72-run knock, while Vipraj Nigam added 51 and Ruturaj Gaikwad contributed 37. Young opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi once again failed to convert a promising start, departing for 21.

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A major talking point of the match was a 10-run penalty imposed on India A before Sri Lanka A's innings began. Match officials awarded the penalty after repeated breaches involving players running through the protected area of the pitch despite warnings. As a result, Sri Lanka A started their chase at 10/0 before a ball was bowled.

At the latest update available, Sri Lanka A had reached approximately 190/5 in 31 overs, with Samarawickrama at the crease and the hosts requiring 76 more runs from the remaining 19 overs. The contest remained finely balanced, with India A needing quick wickets to regain control. The match is crucial for both teams in the ongoing Tri-Nation A Series being played at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, as they seek valuable points in the race to qualify for the tournament final.

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