India Reach Asia Cup Final After Win Over Sri Lanka

India Reach Asia Cup Final After Win Over Sri Lanka

84Views 0Like

After taking his best-ever ODI figures of 5-40 to disrupt India’s batting earlier in the day, Dunith Wellalage also scored the most runs for his team with an unbeaten 42. However, despite his efforts, Sri Lanka couldn’t win the exciting Asia Cup match in Colombo on Tuesday (September 12). India secured a spot in the final with this victory, while Sri Lanka now has a crucial match against Pakistan to determine who will join India in the summit clash.

The target of 214 was definitely below what was expected, but the pitch also posed some difficulties for batting. It provided excessive turn and unpredictable bounce, especially early on when the new ball was used under the floodlights. Jasprit Bumrah capitalized on these conditions, dismissing Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis early on. It was the ideal start that India needed after a poor batting display. Mohammed Siraj then took the wicket of the experienced Dimuth Karunaratne, leaving Sri Lanka struggling at 25/3.

The stage was prepared for India’s spinners to dominate, but Sri Lanka fought back with a 43-run partnership between Sadeera Samarawickrama and Charith Asalanka. They displayed skill in handling spin and effectively rotated the strike until Kuldeep Yadav dismissed both batsmen in consecutive overs. This shifted the momentum back in India’s favor, and Ravindra Jadeja added to Sri Lanka’s troubles by removing skipper Dasun Shanaka. At this point, Sri Lanka’s score was 99/6, and the target of 214 appeared to be a daunting challenge.

Dhananjaya de Silva was Sri Lanka’s go-to player during tough matches from the World Cup qualifiers onwards. He once again played a crucial role, with support from Wellalage, who stayed calm under pressure. Wellalage, boosted by his earlier success as a bowler, partnered with de Silva to guide Sri Lanka through a challenging phase with a composed 63-run partnership. At 162/6, the game was in Sri Lanka’s favor, but de Silva made a critical mistake by getting out to Jadeja. India seized this opportunity and quickly finished the game, leaving Wellalage stranded.

– Advertisement –

A Showcase of Talent: Rohit’s Standout Performances

India fought hard to win, even though their batting performance earlier in the day was subpar. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill provided a strong start, but Sri Lanka realized that the pitch was highly favorable to spin. Shanaka introduced spinners, with Wellalage being the standout performer. He dismissed Gill with a brilliant delivery in his first over and took another wicket off his last ball of the day by removing Hardik Pandya.

In the meantime, Wellalage also dismissed Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, in addition to Rohit, as India struggled against spin. Ishan Kishan had a difficult time at the crease, while Rahul appeared comfortable after Rohit’s departure. However, Sri Lanka prevented partnerships from forming after the 80-run opening stand. India’s batsmen seemed unprepared and passive, playing into the hands of the clever Sri Lankan spinners.

Dhananjaya de Silva contributed with an economical bowling spell, and Charith Asalanka’s part-time spin earned him four wickets. The home team made the most of the favorable conditions. Maheesh Theekshana took the last wicket, marking the first time that India lost all ten wickets to spin in their ODI history. Axar Patel’s late cameo was crucial as it helped India cross the 200-run mark. In a low-scoring game on a tricky pitch, these small differences were significant in determining the final outcome.

Final Scores:

India scored 213 runs in 49.1 overs (Rohit Sharma 53; Dunith Wellalage 5-40, Charith Asalanka 4-18) and defeated Sri Lanka, who managed 172 runs in 41.3 overs (Dunith Wellalage 42*; Kuldeep Yadav 4-43, Jasprit Bumrah 2-30), by 41 runs.

– Advertisement –

• 
  
  
  Facebook
• 
  
  
  Twitter

Latest News

– Advertisement –

– Advertisement –

– Advertisement –

– Advertisement –

– Advertisement –