India A crashed out of the Rising Stars Asia Cup in heartbreaking fashion on Friday, suffering a Super Over defeat to Bangladesh A in the semifinal at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium in Doha.
What should have been a thrilling finish quickly turned into a storm of criticism and captain Jitesh Sharma found himself at the centre of it all.
Despite dragging the match into the tiebreaker after an erratic Bangladesh fielding display, India A squandered their lifeline with a puzzling Super Over call that stunned fans and experts alike. Jitesh Sharma opted against sending in 14-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the tournament’s leading run-scorer and the most explosive batter of the day, instead choosing to take strike himself.
The decision backfired instantly. Jitesh was bowled first ball attempting an audacious ramp shot, and Ashutosh Sharma followed soon after, leaving India with just one run on the board. Bangladesh chased it down with ease to seal their place in the final and social media erupted.
Fans exploded online as the decision sparked instant outrage across social media. One furious supporter wrote, “How do you bench your best batter in a Super Over???” while another pointed to Suryavanshi’s blistering knock earlier in the match, tweeting, “Suryavanshi scored 38 off 15 and you don’t pick him? Peak India A.”
The criticism only grew louder, with a third fan summing up the mood bluntly: “This loss is on Jitesh. Zero game awareness.”
From being one step away from the title clash, India A suddenly became the talking point for all the wrong reasons and Jitesh’s Super Over blunder has now become the defining moment of their campaign.