India A captain Tilak Varma was at the centre of a tense and prolonged discussion with the umpires following a chaotic finish to the match against Sri Lanka A, with video footage showing the skipper animatedly arguing his case after the final ball.
Tilak Varma was frustrated after a controversial final-ball decision where Sri Lanka A were awarded a leg-bye despite India arguing no shot had been offered, which led to the scores being tied. His anger increased during the prolonged delay over whether a Super Over would be played in fading light, as he engaged in an animated discussion with the umpires, questioning both the legitimacy of the run and the playing conditions before the final decision to proceed.
The controversy stemmed from the last delivery of Sri Lanka A's chase. Needing two runs to win, Chamika Gunasekara was struck on the pad by a low full toss and set off for a run after the ball rolled away from wicketkeeper Prabhsimran Singh. While the first run was completed, Gunasekara was run out attempting a second, initially appearing to leave the scores level.
India A immediately questioned whether the first run should have counted. Players argued that Gunasekara had not offered a shot at the delivery, raising doubts over the legitimacy of the leg-bye that ultimately tied the scores.
As the umpires deliberated, uncertainty engulfed the ground. For several minutes, it appeared the match had ended in a tie. However, discussions soon shifted towards whether a Super Over could be played, particularly with fading light becoming a major factor.
At one stage, it seemed India A were preparing to leave the field, only for Tilak to continue pressing the officials. According to match commentary, the left-hander remained visibly dissatisfied and repeatedly engaged the umpires in conversation.
