Nabi claims four as India A secure 122-run first-innings lead in Galle

Sri Lanka A's middle-order batters put up a fight on Day 3 but it wasn't enough to stop India A from taking a three-figure lead in the first four-day game in Galle. Despite half-centuries from Nuwanidu Fernando (84), Sahan Arachchige (72), and Ashen Bandara (70), Sri Lanka A were bowled out for 330, with Auqib Nabi bagging a four-wicket haul. India A reached 48/0 at Stumps, leading by 170.

Sri Lanka A resumed at 113/2. The overnight pair of Fernando and Bandara extended their partnership to 105, with 40 runs coming in the morning session. Fernando fell 16 short of a century as Yash Thakur struck.

India A went wicketless for the rest of the session as Bandara and skipper Arachchige put on a half-century stand, with Bandara also reaching fifty. Arachchige took on the spinners, scoring regular boundaries and clearing the fence off Saransh Jain, as Sri Lanka A went to Lunch at 204/3.

After the break, Arachchige's two sixes off Harsh Dubey helped the team accelerate—the first brought up his fifty. A boundary for Bandara off Thakur took the partnership past 100.

Saransh Jain ended the 117-run stand with the wicket of Bandara, while Dubey accounted for Arachchige soon after, with Devdutt Padikkal taking both catches. Ravindu Fernando and Anjala Bandara struck a flurry of fours to take Sri Lanka A to 300 before Nabi struck in successive overs to dismiss both, sending the hosts to Tea at 315/7, trailing by 137.

Dubey struck in the first over after the break to leave Sri Lanka A eight down. Chamika Gunasekara and Dilum Sudeera batted for nearly 10 overs to frustrate India A. But Nabi returned and wrapped up the innings with the wickets of Gunasekara and Dulaj Samudhita off successive deliveries, finishing with 4/58.

Armed with a 122-run lead, India A started well before first-innings centurion Sai Sudharsan retired hurt on 7. Ayush Pandey and Padikkal built a steady partnership, extending the lead past 150. Both were unbeaten at stumps.

Brief scores: India A 452/6 decl. & 48/0 (Devdutt Padikkal 20*, Ayush Pandey 20*) lead Sri Lanka A 330 (Nuwanidu Fernando 84, Sahan Arachchige 72, Ashen Bandara 70; Auqib Nabi 4-58) by 170 runs.