The ultimate Super 4s game of the Asia Cup 2025, a dead rubber, proved to be one of the most thrilling affairs of the tournament as it went right down to the wire, eventually decided by a Super Over. An exhilarating run-fest in Dubai saw India post a gargantuan 202 – the highest total of this edition on the back of another blitzkrieg from Abhishek Sharma. Sri Lanka responded in kind, led by Pathum Nissanka’s awe-inspiring 107 off 58 balls.
Super over finish
With the contest finishing on an even keel after 40 overs, Sri Lanka flopped in the Super Over. Kusal Perera holed out to deep point off the very first ball bowled by Arshdeep Singh. Whacky scenes unfolded next as Dasun Shanaka managed to get a caught-behind dismissal overturned to also avoid being run-out. Though he was dismissed immediately thereafter as Sri Lanka could muster up just two runs. India needed a single delivery to knock the target off with Suryakumar Yadav finding a gap at cover.
Abhishek Sharma continues to impress mightily
Inserted, India lost Shubman Gill early courtesy a Maheesh Theekshana blinder in the follow-through. Nuwan Thushara started off well but couldn’t maintain his discipline in his second over as Abhishek, who blazed off the blocks with a six, made sure India were up and running. Abhishek marched ahead with ferocity as he struck Dushmantha Chameera for a maximum before backing it up with a couple of blistering boundaries in the following over. He brought fifty, his third on the bounce, off just 22 balls after keeping up the good work in the sixth over – ensuring yet another productive PowerPlay for India where they amassed 71/1.
Tilak and Samson consolidate India’s position
Much like their previous game, India lost the plot after gaining a headstart. Skipper Suryakumar’s lean patch with the bat was extended as Wanindu Hasaranga trapped him in front on the sweep right after the PowerPlay. The rampaging Abhishek was the next to depart, caught at deep midwicket. Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma, however, ensured that the Indian innings didn’t derail. Through an ideal combination of frequent strike-rotation and calculated risk-taking, they kept Sri Lanka at bay, their mending job in the middle phase made a tad easier due to the wily Hasaranga’s side-strain.
India breach 200-mark through steady strokeplay
India lost a hint of momentum as both Samson and Hardik Pandya perished in quick succession. The Sri Lankan bowlers nailed the tramline yorker to stall the boundaries but India made it a point to not be bogged down by running hard between the wickets. Axar Patel hammered a six off the final delivery of what was otherwise an inch-perfect over by Chameera to take India past 200 while Tilak remained unbeaten on 49 at the other end.
Sri Lanka come out firing on all cylinders
Nissanka teed off in grand style as he slashed his first ball through point for four. His opening partner Kusal Mendis though was out for a golden duck in Test-match fashion, edging an outswinger by Hardik to slip. The all-rounder got a ball to cut back in sharply and rapped Kusal Perera on the pads but India burned a review following an unsuccessful appeal for LBW, albeit it looked close to the naked eye. Sri Lanka were on a mission though as they struck boundaries at will to not just stay abreast with the asking rate but transcend it. The early fireworks took them to 72/1 after the first six – shoulder to shoulder with India’s position at that stage.
Pathum Nissanka anchors the chase with a six-hitting spree 💥
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Nissanka and Perera reinforce their domination
The left-right combo ensured that the intensity did not drop once the fielding restrictions eased. Nissanka rustled up fifty off just 25 balls in the 8th over before Kusal Perera accomplished the landmark in the very next over. The 11th over reaped 16 runs and the duo shared a 127-run partnership – the highest in Asia Cup T20s. India’s keenly-awaited breakthrough came when Kusal Perera was out stumped to Varun Chakaravarthy in the 13th over and the credit for that wicket also goes to Kuldeep Yadav who bowled a tight over prior. Even as Charith Asalanka struggled for fluency, Nissanka continued to keep Sri Lanka on track and blitzed his way into the 90s.
The most fascinating Asia Cup 2025 encounter
With the match hanging in balance, Kuldeep bowled another miserly over, where he dismissed an iffy Asalanka. Kamindu Mendis failed to provide Nissanka much support either as he fell victim to Arshdeep in the 17th over. Nissanka though persisted and notched up his maiden T20I century by lofting a six downtown. A boundary off the last ball of an Arshdeep over left Sri Lanka with a dozen to get off the final over. It began on a promising note for India as Nissanka unfortunately clipped Harshit Rana straight to short fine-leg off the very first ball. The equation came down to seven off two before Shanaka collected a boundary off a thick outside edge. With three required off the final ball, a mistimed hack only supplied two runs to nudge the game into the Super Over.
Brief scores: India 202/5 in 20 overs (Abhishek Sharma 61, Tilak Varma 49*; Charith Asalanka 1-18) tied with Sri Lanka 202/5 in 20 overs (Pathum Nissanka 107, Kusal Perera 58; Kuldeep Yadav 1-31, Varun Chakaravarthy 1-31) India won the Super Over
