India beat Sri Lanka in Asia Cup Super Four thriller

DUBAI (Dunya News) – India have defeated Sri Lanka in the last match of the Asia Cup Super Four. 

The match was decided in the super over.

Sri Lanka’s captain Charith Asalanka won the toss and opted to bowl first, sending Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav’s side in to bat. India posted 202 for 5 in their 20 overs, with opener Abhishek Sharma top-scoring with a rapid 61.

India’s innings

Sanju Samson contributed a brisk 39 off 23 balls, while Tilak Varma played a steady hand with 49 not out from 34 deliveries. Suryakumar Yadav managed 12, Shubman Gill just 4, and Hardik Pandya 2, while Axar Patel chipped in with an unbeaten 21 off 15 balls.

On the bowling side, Sri Lanka shared the honours evenly, with Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dasun Shanaka and Charith Asalanka each taking a wicket.

Sri Lanka’s response

Chasing 203, Sri Lanka produced a spirited batting display to stay in contention throughout. Their fightback ensured the match went down to the wire, eventually levelling the scores with India and leaving the contest tied – a rare outcome in high-pressure Asia Cup fixtures.

Team changes

India made two changes to their line-up, bringing in Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana in place of Jasprit Bumrah and Shivam Dube. Sri Lanka made a single switch, drafting in Liyanage to replace Karunaratne.

Road to the Final

The match had no bearing on the final, as India had already qualified by defeating Pakistan and Bangladesh in their earlier Super Four games. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, exited the tournament after losses to both Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The Asia Cup final is scheduled for Sunday, 28 September, with traditional rivals India and Pakistan set to meet in Dubai in what promises to be a highly anticipated showdown.