In a thrilling encounter at the Dubai Cricket Stadium on Friday, India defeated Sri Lanka in a Super Over to maintain their unbeaten record in the Asia Cup 2025. The Super 4 match concluded with both teams tied at 202/5 after 20 overs, leading to the dramatic Super Over finish.
India batted first, posting a total of 202/5, propelled by Abhishek Sharma's explosive 61 off 31 balls. Tilak Varma remained unbeaten on 49, while valuable contributions from Sanju Samson (39 off 23) and Axar Patel (21* off 15) helped India reach a competitive score.
Sri Lanka's chase was anchored by Pathum Nissanka, who scored a magnificent century, hitting 107 off 58 balls. Kusal Perera also contributed with a rapid 58 off 32 deliveries. Sri Lanka needed 12 runs off the final over, but they could only manage 11, resulting in a tie.
The Super Over saw Arshdeep Singh bowl exceptionally well, restricting Sri Lanka to just two runs while picking up two crucial wickets. Kusal Perera was dismissed early, and Dasun Shanaka was run out due to a controversial umpiring decision. Suryakumar Yadav then calmly drove the first ball of India's Super Over innings to the boundary, securing the victory for India.
Earlier in the match, Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bowl first. India's innings was characterized by aggressive batting, particularly by Abhishek Sharma, who set the tone with his quickfire half-century. Sri Lanka's fielding was sloppy, with dropped catches and easy runs conceded.
During Sri Lanka's chase, Nissanka and Perera formed a formidable partnership, taking their team to 114/1 in the first 10 overs, the highest score at that stage in Asia Cup 2025. However, after the fall of Kusal Perera, Sri Lanka's momentum slowed down, and the Indian bowlers managed to apply pressure.
The match was not without controversy. A bizarre moment occurred during the Super Over when Dasun Shanaka was initially given out caught behind, but the decision was reversed after review, as there was no edge, leading to confusion.
With this win, India have extended their winning streak to six matches and will face Pakistan in the Asia Cup final on Sunday.
