Abhishek Sharma continued his rich vein of form while Tilak Varma chipped in as well alongside Sanju Samson as well as India powered their way to 202/5 in 20 overs after losing the toss. Abhishek Sharma continued his rich vein of form while Tilak got some time in the middle and stayed unbeaten in the end while Sanju Samson did his best and got an important 39 runs to his name.
It was a hard toil for the Sri Lankan bowlers with most of them going for runs. Apart from Thushara, the other bowlers managed to get a wicket each as they struggled to contain the Indian batters. Sri Lanka are up against it now and have to bat out of their skins to win this contest but they have nothing to lose in this contest.
Abhishek Sharma’s brilliant half-century gives India a fast start in the powerplay
Put into bat first, Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill came out to bat for India. Nuwan Thushara had ball in hand for Sri Lanka. Thushara bowled a few wides before Gill clipped him in front of square on the onside as the ball raced away to the midwicket fence. Maheesh Theekshana had ball in hand from the other end. Abhishek welcomed him with a maximum over deep midwicket. But Theekshana fought back and got rid of Gill for 4 off 3 balls with a boundary to his name.
Theekshana bowled a length ball around fifth stump drifting in, Gill lunged forward and looked to drive it straight. He failed to keep it down as Theekshana reacted to it quickly to dive to his left and plucked it out of thin air as he got two hands to it and grabbed a stunner. Captain Suryakumar Yadav came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway. Abhishek thrashed Theekshana by rocking back and slashing it away over top of point for a boundary.
Thushara continued and bowled a no ball thanks to a high full toss which Abhishek Sharma cut over backward point for a boundary as free hit followed next. The free hit yielded a boundary as well as Abhishek Sharma threw his hands and got a thick inside edge past the stumps to the fine leg fence for lucky boundary. Theekshana continued as Surya made room for himself and drove it through the gap of extra covers and mid-off for a boundary.
Dushmantha Chameera came into the attack as we had a change in bowling. Abhishek welcomed him by using his feet by coming down the track and stayed leg side of the ball as he lofted it over long-off fence for the maximum. The 50 came up for India in 4,3 overs. Abhishek was not done yet as he hit back-to-back boundaries off Chameera one over short fine leg and the other over deep backward point fence.
Thushara changed ends as Abhishek hit the full toss around the fifth stump line by pumping it over top of extra cover for a boundary. He hit another boundary by pulling the slower ball through deep backward square leg for a boundary as Abhishek Sharma got to yet another fifty in just 22 balls. His 3rd consecutive fifty in Asia Cup 2025. At the end of the powerplay, India were rollicking around at 71/1 in 6 overs with Abhishek batting on 52* off 24 balls while Surya was with him on 11* off 10 balls. An important middle phase awaits us all post the powerplay.
India drive home the advantage despite Sri Lanka picking up a couple of wickets with the scoreboard reading 150/3 in 15 overs
Wanindu Hasaranga came into the attack immediately after the powerplay was over. Hasaranga struck getting rid of Suryakumar Yadav for 12 off 13 balls with a boundary to his name. It was a loopy delivery full around middle stump line from Hasaranga. Suryakumar Yadav got down on one knee and looked to play the sweep shot and missed it on the inside edge and wore it on the front boot. The appeal and the finger was raised. SKY reviewed in hope and burnt a review for the side. Tilak Varma came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway.
Dasun Shanaka came into the attack next. Abhishek hit him for a boundary as he pressed forward and lofted it sweetly past the right of long-off. Charith Asalanka the captain came onto bowl next. Tilak hammered Asalanka through the covers past the extra cover fielder for a boundary. Asalanka then struck for his side as he got rid of the big scalp of Abhishek Sharma for 61 off 31 balls with 8 fours and 2 sixes to his name.
Asalanka bowled a short ball around the off-stump gripped and straightened. Abhishek rocked back and looked to pull it over deep midwicket. He mistimed it from the toe end of the bat as Kamindu at deep midwicket settled underneath it and took a comfortable catch. Sanju Samson walked out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway.
Chameera returned to the attack. Tilak hit Chameera by leaning into the drive past the right of extra covers for a boundary. The 100 came up for India in 10 overs and at the drinks break, India were 100/3 in 10 overs when players took the Drinks Break. Hasaranga returned after the break as Samson hit the short googly on the off stump line by pulling him square of the wicket for a boundary at deep backward square. Asalanka continued as Tilak got into the groove by smoking him by getting down on one knee and played the slog sweep in front of square for the maximum.
Hasaranga returned as Samson climbed onto him by smashing him down the ground for the maximum over long-on. The batters rotated and kept the scoreboard ticking in the middle overs. Maheesh Theekshana came back into the playing XI and is chipping away as much as he could do. He bowled a miserly over yet. Hasaranga returned on the field but captaining the side. It was a tossed up half volley on the middle and leg stump line. Samson read it out of the hand, clears the front leg and found himself underneath. The smasher smashed right off the middle of the bat to clear the fence over long-on for the maximum. The 50-run stand came up between the two players.
India brought up their 150 as well as they reached 150/3 in 15 overs with Tilak and Samson both on 33*. Big last five overs are ahead of us, despite the best efforts by Sri Lankan bowlers. India will aim to get to 200+ while Bangladesh was happy as they got regular wickets to peg things back a little bit for Bangladesh going forward. Hasaranga had completed his spell.
India finish strong and finish with 202/5 in 20 overs
Dasun Shanaka returned to the attack. Samson launched Shanaka over deep midwicket for the maximum where Shanaka overstepped. Free hit yielded a dot ball. Shanaka came back well to dismiss Samson for 39 off 23 balls with one four and 3 sixes to his name. He bowled a full length delivery on the off-stump and didn’t sound well off the bat as the ball hit the bottom half of the bat. Asalanka at mid-off kept his eyes on the ball back pedalled outside the circle and took a very good well judged catch over his head. Hardik Pandya walked out to bat next and got off the mark soon.
Chameera returned to the attack and got rid of Hardik for 2 off 3 balls. He bowled from over the wicket and banged it short of a length on the off-stump line. Hardik didn’t move his feet much and mistimed a hard hitting pull shot into the air. The ball went high in the air at short midwicket region with no real distance on it. Chameera called for it himself charged a few more than a dozen metres to his right and dived to complete a stunning catch. Axar Patel came out to bat next. He got off the mark soon.
Tilak hit Chameera by scooping over short fine leg for a boundary. Thushara came back to bowl his final over as Axar sliced him away over short third man. Theekshana came to bowl the 19th over as Tilak got a boundary away off a top edge over the keeper for a boundary. There was a run out attempt but the throw missed as Axar survived.
Chameera came to bowl the final over as Axar launched the last ball of the innings for the maximum for a flat hit at deep midwicket as India crossed 200 run mark. India finished with the highest score of Asia Cup 2025 as they finished with 202/5 in 20 overs. Tilak was unbeaten on 49 off 34 balls with 4 fours and a maximum to his name. Axar was unbeaten on 21 off 15 balls with one four and one six to his name. 14 extras given by Sri Lanka.
It was a hard toil for the Lankan bowlers with each of them except Thushara getting a wicket each. So, a wicket apiece for Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dasun Shanaka, and Charith Asalanka while Thushara finished with 0/43 in 4 overs. This meant Sri Lanka have to score 203 runs to win the contest.
What Lies Ahead
So, India have got a formidable score on the board. They have breached 200 and become the first team to do so in Asia Cup 2025. They have posted 202/5 and are in pole position to win this game. Sri Lanka have to bat out of their skins to win this contest. So, advantage India, but Sri Lanka have nothing to lose and can come out there freely without any pressure.
Let’s see how the chase unfolds in Dubai in the final game of Super 4 stage of Asia Cup 2025.
Also Read: Asia Cup 2025: 3 Reasons For Bangladesh’s Heart-Breaking Loss To Pakistan.