Desk Report:
The finalists of the 2025 Asia Cup were decided the day before yesterday. The India-Sri Lanka Super Four match in Dubai last night was just a formality. However, the match was evenly contested. There was a dramatic incident that Bangladeshi umpire Gazi Sohail had to handle.
The 404-run India-Sri Lanka match was decided in the Super Over. Drama ensued during Sri Lanka’s batting in that Super Over. On the fourth ball of the over, Sri Lankan all-rounder Dasun Shanaka went to play a cut shot to Arshdeep Singh. Indian wicketkeeper Sanju Samson caught Shanaka’s missed ball. Arshdeep then signaled to celebrate. In the meantime, when Shanaka left the wicket, Samson broke the stumps. After a long time, the on-field umpire Gazi Sohail raised his finger. When Shanaka then took the review, it was seen that Arshdeep’s ball did not hit his (Shanaka’s) bat.
After Shanaka’s review, Sohail declared it out to not out. Then Suryakumar Yadav-Varun Chakraborty spoke to the Bangladeshi umpires. Indian cricketers were surprised to think why Shanaka was not run out. Then Sohail explained that the ball became dead after Shanaka took the review. The Sri Lankan all-rounder escaped being run out. If Arshdeep had not appealed for a catch, Shanaka would have been run out.
India and Pakistan will face each other in the final tomorrow in Dubai. And last night’s formal match against Sri Lanka was so exciting, Suryakumar got a taste of the final in this match. At the end of the match, the Indian captain said at the prize distribution ceremony, ‘It felt like I was playing the final (laughs). After the first half of the second innings ended, the boys showed enough determination. I told them to play it like a semi-final.’
India and Pakistan will face each other in the final tomorrow in Dubai. And last night’s formal match against Sri Lanka was so exciting that Suryakumar got a taste of the final in this match. At the award ceremony after the match, the Indian captain said, “It felt like I was playing a final (laughs). After the first half of the second innings ended, the boys showed enough determination. I told them to play it like a semi-final.”
After losing the toss and electing to bat first, India scored 202 runs for 5 wickets last night. Abhishek Sharma played a whirlwind innings of 61 runs off 31 balls. Sri Lanka also scored 202 runs for 5 wickets. Pathum Nishanka won the Man of the Match award. He scored 107 runs off 58 balls with 7 fours and 6 sixes. This is his first century in international T20s.
