Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was given a lifeline following a debatable decision by the third umpire. The decision left Afghanistan A players fuming.

The 5th tri-series one-day match between India A and Afghanistan A triggered a huge controversy after Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was given a lifeline by the third umpire. As the replays were shown on the giant screen, it looked like Sooryavanshi would have no option but to return to the dressing room, but the third umpire didn't think there was enough evidence to call the batter out. As the Afghanistan A player grabbed Sooryavanshi's catch, the third umpire felt that some part of the ball had touched the ground. The umpire deemed Sooryavanshi not out, triggering a huge controversy with the decision on social media.

Sooryavanshi, who was batting on zero when the incident took place, was about to cross the boundary rope, thinking he was out. However, he returned to the centre of the pitch after the third umpire flashed the green light (not out) on the screen.

Baffled by the third umpire's decision, the Afghan players even confronted the on-field umpires, asking for an explanation.

"Some part of the ball is touching the ground, made my decision," the umpire said before the green light was flashed. But fans on social media weren't convinced. Many felt that the third umpire wasn't fair with his assessment.

The 15-year-old opening batter, who scored 776 runs in the Indian Premier League 2026, received a total of two opportunities. Yet, he failed to make the lifelines count. He ended up scoring 38 runs before being eventually dismissed. Sooryavanshi mishit a delivery from Faridoon Dawoodzai, and Khalid Taniwal took an easy catch at cover-point.

Though Sooryavanshi is only a teenager, the expectations from him are monumental, especially after fans saw the batter rattle some of the finest bowlers in the world during the IPL 2026 season for the Rajasthan Royals.

He was also involved in a physical altercation with a Sri Lanka A player in the last match, which saw India lose the contest after a controversial Super Over.