IND vs SL Asia Cup 2023: India successfully defend 213 runs to enter final, Bangladesh out of contention
On Tuesday, September 12, the Indian cricket team defeated Sri Lanka by 41 runs to advance to the Asia Cup 2023 final. In the Super 4 match, Sri Lanka held India to just 213 runs, with youthful player Dunith Wellalage leading the way with five wickets.
However, the batters found it difficult to knock down the modest score at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
Following India's victory, Bangladesh was eliminated from contention for the championship match. Pakistan and Sri Lanka will now compete on Thursday for the second position.
India's Rohit Sharma chose to bat first after winning the toss and making one alteration to his playing XI. In the pivotal Super 4 match, Sri Lanka went with an unchanged lineup, with spin all-rounder Axar Patel coming in for pacer Shardul Thakur.
With an 80-run partnership for the first wicket in the first 12 overs, Indian openers Rohit and Shubman Gill got things going quickly.
The former smashed his third successive fifty of the competition. Wellalage, though, gave the hosts the advantage when he removed Gill in the twelfth over. In his following two overs, he removed Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, allowing Sri Lanka to rejoin the match.
KK Rahul and Ishan Kishan played some defensive but sensible cricket to keep India on course for a large total with a 63-run partnership for the fourth wicket. After Wellalage took Rahul's wicket in the thirty-first over to give Sri Lanka an advantage, India's batting fell apart like a house of cards.
In addition to capturing Hardik Pandya's wicket to end his 10-over performance, Wellalage also helped Ishan get wicket by snagging a spectacular leaping catch at covers.
Important 26 runs off of 36 balls were added by Axar, but Theekshana terminated India's innings in the final over, limiting them to just 213 runs. For the first time in their ODI history, India lost all ten wickets to spin, making this their sixth-lowest total in Asia Cup history.
India's speed attack was impressive with a new ball in the powerplay overs, in contrast to Sri Lankan pacers. India got off to a strong start thanks to Jasprit Bumrah's early wicket of Pathum Nissanka in the third over and his subsequent dismissal of the highly effective Kusal Mendis.
In the ninth over, Mohammed Siraj secured a crucial wicket for Dimuth Karunaratne, giving India total control of the match.
In form players Sadeera Samarawickrama and Asalanka lifted Sri Lanka's prospects for the chase with a 43-run fourth-wicked partnership. With the wicket of Sadeera in the eighteenth over, Kuldeep Yadav provided India a breakthrough. He then removed Asalanka in the twentieth over to change the momentum.
Nevertheless, Wellalage demonstrated his batting prowess and brought his team back into the contest following an incredible ball-striking streak. To level the score and temporarily place Sri Lanka as the favourites, Wellalage and spin all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva contributed 63 runs for the seventh wicket.
In the 38th over, with four wickets remaining and Sri Lanka needing just 52 runs in 76 balls, Ravindra Jadeja ended the partnership. India won by a well-earned 41 runs thanks to Dhananjaya's 41 off 66 balls and Kuldeep's two wickets in the 42nd over to complete Sri Lanka's innings.
To help India bowl out Sri Lanka on 172 runs, Kuldeep got four wickets, while Jadeja and Bumrah both claimed two wickets.
India Playing XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
Sri Lanka Playing XI: Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis (wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka (c), Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, Matheesha Pathirana