India's bowling coach, Morne Morkel, has confirmed that Hardik Pandya and Abhishek Sharma experienced cramps during the second innings of their Asia Cup 2025 Super Four match against Sri Lanka. The match, held on Friday, September 26, 2025, saw India secure a thrilling Super Over victory after both teams scored 202-5 in their allotted 20 overs.
Following the intense match in Dubai, Morkel addressed the media, providing a fitness update on Pandya and Sharma. "Both of them struggled with cramps," Morkel stated. Regarding Pandya's condition, Morkel added, "Hardik, I know, we will assess tonight and tomorrow morning and we'll take a call on that". However, he eased concerns about Sharma, stating, "Abhishek is fine".
Pandya's discomfort was evident as he left the field after bowling only one over. In that over, he did manage to dismiss Kusal Mendis for a duck. Sharma, who had a strong showing with the bat, also had to leave the field during Sri Lanka's innings.
The conditions in Dubai have been challenging, with the players battling sweltering heat and humidity. Morkel acknowledged the difficulty, noting that the team's training has focused on adapting to these conditions. "It's been very hot and sweaty so far, but enjoyable," he said.
India's victory against Sri Lanka was hard-fought, with Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka scoring a remarkable century. Arshdeep Singh bowled a superb Super Over, conceding only two runs and securing the win for India. However, the Indian pacers, including Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana, faced challenges, with Sri Lankan batters scoring heavily against them. Morkel addressed this, explaining, "If you look at the trend of the tournament so far, after 10 overs the scoring rate slows down. The new ball comes on nicely, and the margin for error is quite small". He added, "As a bowling attack, we want to go the aggressive route and try and get wickets in the powerplay. In the middle overs, our spinners come into play".
Looking ahead to the final against Pakistan on September 28, Morkel stressed the importance of recovery. "There will be no training tomorrow. Recovery started straight after the game with ice baths," he said. "The best recovery is sleep and staying off your feet. Tomorrow, the players will have pool sessions, massages, and prepare mentally for Sunday".
Morkel has emphasized that the team is not underestimating any opponent in the Asia Cup. He highlighted the importance of respecting each team while focusing on their own strengths. "We know the brand and style of cricket we want to play," Morkel stated. "We'll analyze strengths and weaknesses of opponents, but at the end of the day, what we can control is our intensity and our execution". He also praised the team's bowlers after their dominant performance against the UAE.
Abhishek Sharma has been in impressive form throughout the tournament, notching up his third consecutive half-century against Sri Lanka. He has consistently provided India with strong starts, showcasing his aggressive strokeplay. However, India will be hoping for Hardik Pandya to recover in time of the final as he brings great value to the team with his all-round ability.
With the Asia Cup 2025 final against Pakistan looming, the Indian team will be aiming to address their fitness concerns and fine-tune their preparations for the high-stakes encounter.
