Nissanka’s Ton Pushes, Arshdeep Saves
Lanka’s Surge Meets India’s Nerve
Abu Dhabi: India barely escaped a fiery Sri Lankan onslaught in the Asia Cup 2025 Super 4 clash, tying at 202/5 and stumbling into a Super Over that sent the fans at Sheikh Zayed Stadium into a feverish uproar. Blue and maroon flags clashed, chants of “Jai Sri Ram” and “Lanka! Lanka!” ringing with Navratri’s electric charge. Arshdeep Singh stormed in for India. Kusal Perera swung at the first ball, caught by Tilak Varma at deep midwicket for zero. The stands erupted. Dasun Shanaka edged the fourth, but a caught-behind call flipped—dead ball, rule 20.1.1.3. Arshdeep bowled him next for 2. Sri Lanka folded at 2/2. Suryakumar Yadav, steady under pressure, faced Maheesh Theekshana’s spinner, nudged it, and sprinted three off a fielder’s fumble. India scraped through, unbeaten with four Super 4 wins, advancing to the Sunday final against Pakistan in Dubai. Sri Lanka, with one win and three losses, exited with pride.
The match flared under a 35°C sun, the pitch favouring spin as dew settled. Sri Lanka’s Charith Asalanka won the toss and chose to bowl. India, swapping Jasprit Bumrah and Shivam Dube for Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana, posted 202/5—the tournament’s highest total. Abhishek Sharma smashed 61 off 31 (8 fours, 2 sixes), leading with 286 runs. Shubman Gill fell for 4 to Dushmantha Chameera. Sanju Samson hit 39 off 22 (4 fours, 2 sixes). Tilak Varma anchored with 49 not out off 34 (3 fours, 2 sixes). Hardik Pandya added 18 off 12, with a six. Theekshana took 2/41, Hasaranga 1/35, Shanaka 1/20.
Sri Lanka’s chase of 203 started shakily at 7/1, Hardik Pandya dismissing Kusal Mendis for a golden duck, caught by Gill. Pathum Nissanka’s unbeaten 107 off 58 (7 fours, 6 sixes), his maiden T20I century, and Kusal Perera’s 58 off 32 (5 fours, 3 sixes) built a 155-run stand—the tournament’s largest. Kuldeep Yadav’s 2/29 got Perera and Asalanka (20). Varun Chakaravarthy’s 1/32 dismissed Mendis. Shanaka’s 22 not out and Liyanage’s 2 not out tied it. Fans, phones flashing, roared.
The Super Over was a nail-biter. Arshdeep’s twin strikes and Suryakumar’s cool chase sealed India’s escape. Shanaka’s reversed dismissal sparked social media—“rulebook sting.”
The Super Over tested the resolve. Arshdeep’s two wickets and Suryakumar’s chase showed India’s nerve. In his post-match interview with Ravi Shastri, Suryakumar Yadav said, “It felt like a final, boys showed a lot of character after the first half in the second innings. I told the boys to have good energy, and let’s see where we are at the end. To have that start (with the bat), and someone like Sanju and Tilak taking that tempo was good to see. And for someone like Sanju, who is not opening the batting, and taking that responsibility and even Tilak showing great confidence, which was good to see. He (Arshdeep) has delivered for us the last 2-3 years. I told him to back his own plans and try to execute. He has been there in that situation many times, and he has done really well for India, and his confidence says it all. None other than Arshdeep to bowl that Super Over. Few boys had a lot of cramps today. We will have a recovery day tomorrow and turn up the same way we turned up today (talking about the final). Everyone got what they wanted (from the group stages) and we are very happy to be in the finals.”
This narrow escape against Sri Lanka’s spirited fight sends mixed signals for India’s final against Pakistan on Sunday, with barely a day’s break. The win fuels confidence, proving they can navigate chaos. Abhishek’s explosive form, Kuldeep’s spin, and Arshdeep’s Super Over poise highlight a team that thrives under pressure. The 202/5 total, without Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli, shows batting depth. Holding off Nissanka’s century and a 155-run stand reveals resilience, critical for Pakistan’s high-octane batting. Suryakumar’s emphasis on “good energy” and Arshdeep’s proven clutch ability position India as favourites for their ninth Asia Cup title.
“It was a fabulous game, and we were in the game until Varun and Kuldeep bowled those middle overs. It was unbelievable batting (from Nissanka), they have some extremely good bowlers, and it was really good to see him bat with that attacking approach. Lots of positives from the Asia Cup. We have been playing good cricket, and unfortunately, we couldn’t win in the last 2 games. As a captain, there are a lot of positives to take,” Sri Lanka skipper Charith Asalanka said after the match.
The Super Over triumph, watched by millions, is a mental edge, showing India can win when pushed to the brink. Yet, Sri Lanka’s scare exposed vulnerabilities. The tie underlines bowling inconsistencies—Harshit Rana leaked 54 runs, and Arshdeep’s 40 in the main game raised eyebrows. Cramps in Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya, with Tilak slowing mid-over and Hardik exiting, are red flags. The 35°C UAE heat, mirrored in Dubai, tests endurance. Suryakumar’s mention of a recovery day is reassuring, but limited rest risks fatigue. If cramps persist, the middle order could falter against Pakistan’s pace-heavy attack. This win builds belief but warns India to tighten bowling and prioritise fitness to avoid being outrun in the final.
– global bihari bureau
