Asia Cup 2025 Ind vs SL | Nissanka special in vain as Arshdeep helps the Men in Blue prevail in Super Over

For a game that was a dead rubber, there was high drama at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Friday (September 26, 2025). Under lights, India and Sri Lanka played out a tie to leave the final result to a Super Over. Pathum Nissanka’s sublime ton seemed set to help the Lankans end the Asia Cup with a consolation win in the Super Four stage while chasing 203, but India’s bowlers held their nerve towards the end stages to bring their way back into the contest.

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With 12 needed off the final over, Nissanka ended up hitting the first ball from Harshit Rana to Varun Chakaravarthy at short fine leg. When Dasun Shanaka hit the penultimate delivery for a boundary, the pressure tilted back in Rana’s direction. But on the final ball, with Sri Lanka needing three for a win, Shanaka hit Rana towards long-on and scrambled back for two to force a tie-breaker.

Arshdeep Singh conceded just two runs in the Super Over and claimed both wickets. India captain Suryakumar Yadav needed just one ball to knock off the three-run target as the defending champion continued their unbeaten run.

During the Lankan chase, Nissanka’s partnership of 127 runs with Kusal Perera was the highlight. Pacers Arshdeep and Harshit, who came in for Jasprit Bumrah and Shivam Dube, were attacked with glee early on. Nissanka’s dazzling hits took Sri Lanka to 72 for one after six overs.

Perera joined in on the act once India introduced spin. In the sixth over, he hoicked Axar Patel towards the square-leg boundary twice, and then slog-swept Kuldeep Yadav for a four towards midwicket. An identical shot in Varun Chakravarthy’s opening over also fetched a boundary. In the same over, Nissanka raised his bat on reaching fifty off 25 balls.

Kuldeep, so often the answer to a crisis, was unable to produce a wicket until his final over. In the ninth over, his shorter lengths were hammered towards midwicket as Perera also took just 25 balls for his half-century.

Once Varun had Perera stumped in the 13th over, India looked to tighten the screws by dismissing Charith Asalanka and Kamindu Mendis in quick succession. But Nissanka, who reached his ton with a straight six against Arshdeep, had the opportunity to finish the task at hand.

When India was batting, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma and Sanju Samson played leading roles. While Abhishek slammed a 31-ball 61, Tilak (49 n.o., 34b) and Samson (39, 23b) excelled in the latter stages.

Armed with a method to his madness that appears almost foolproof at the moment, he emanated a sense of purpose once again. carted a length ball by Theekshana into the blue-shaded seats over midwicket. When the mystery spinner offered width, Abhishek’s free-flowing bat swing yielded a boundary over point. The 14-run second over got the 25-year-old going as India raced to 71 for one at the end of the PowerPlay. In the process, Abhishek’s third straight half-century, off 22 balls, had been brought up.

Once Abhishek was dismissed, the setting was ideal for Tilak and Samson to notch up a score that boosts their confidence before the final. The opportunity was grabbed with a 66-run partnership.