Match Center

Right then, that is it from the game. Sri Lanka have taken a big step towards the final of the Asia Cup, 2022! It was a close contest and there was drama till the last over. More Asia Cup drama awaits for you folks as Pakistan take on Afghanistan on Wednesday, 7th of September at 7.30 pm IST (2.00 pm GMT). Do join us early for the build-up. Till then, it's a goodbye from us. Cheers!

Dasun Shanaka, the skipper of Sri Lanka is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for this brilliant all-round performance. He says that the team environment has set the tone of this win. Tells that batting unit did very well and bowlers bowled well in the patches. Mentions that they had good discussion after the first game and they knew what they can do and credits Nissanka and Mendis for the way they played. Talks about his bowling and says that he bowls when his team needs it and he is happy with his performance.

Rohit Sharma, the skipper of India says that they just ended up on the wrong side. Adds that the runs they got in the start should have been capitalized more and ended their innings at 15-20 runs short. Further says that losses like this will make them improve and the bowlers gave a good fight till the end. Says that they planned for a longer boundary and went with the spinners but it didn't work out for them. Says that ideally they play four seamers but for the World Cup they have been experimenting and trying all the mix and matches possible. Ends by saying that since the last World Cup, they haven't lost many games but lost back-to-back games now, and playing a game like this makes them improve a lot.

Presentation time...

Kusal Mendis is down for a quick chat. He says that he is very happy and this is the best partnership for them in this tournament. Adds that they practiced a lot in Sri Lanka in last six months and it has paid well. Says that he and Pathum Nissanka are not power hitters but they play touch shots and gave a good start to the team. Applauds Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Shanaka for finishing well.

Earlier in the game, India riding on a fantastic knock from their skipper, Rohit Sharma managed to put a very good score on the board. However, Sri Lanka also did well and did not let the target go completely out of their reach by bowling well at the death. Dilshan Madushanka, the youngster was brilliant for Sri Lanka with the new ball and at the death and that gave his team the momentum going into the second half. Dasun Shanaka, the skipper also got two important wickets with the ball and then in a pressure of a run-chase delivered with the bat again, when his team needed it the most.

India, on the other hand, would be gutted with this loss. They just could not build any pressure with the new ball and ended up conceding almost 10 runs an over in the first half of this chase. It was the 12th over from Yuzvendra Chahal that got them back into this game and then Ashwin too bowled well as both the spinners manage to bring India to a position of parity with four wickets in quick succession. Things got close in the end and India needed Bhuvneshwar Kumar to bowl a good 19th over. However, once again just like the last game, he could not deliver under pressure and went for 14 runs in the 19th over. Arshdeep Singh who was expensive before that, showed lot of heart in the final over and took the game to the second last ball but with just 7 needed off the last over, it was too much to ask for from the youngster and it is Sri Lanka who have notched up an important win here.

India had a decent total on the board but Sri Lanka had the confidence of chasing big totals in the last two games and that showed in the way, they went about their business with the bat. Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis came out all guns blazing and smashed 97 runs in the first 11 overs. However, they lost two wickets in the 12th over and then went onto lose two more quickly. However, the experienced duo of Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Dasun Shanaka then showed some great character and skills to take the game deep and in the end despite the match going to the last over, both of them did not panic and in the end they crossed the line to clinch this thriller of a game.

Wow! What a finish to this cracker of a game! Sri Lanka have nailed another run-chase here, third time in the row in this Asia Cup and they now take a big step towards the summit clash of this tournament. The dressing room is happy and so are all Lankan fans. India, on the other hand, tried hard but they failed to play the consistent cricket one requires to win big games and are on a brink of getting eliminated from this competition.

Oh, this was sloppy from India here! Slightly shorter and outside off, Dasun Shanaka looks to cut it but misses and sets off for a bye. The ball goes off the bounce to the keeper, Pant. He has a shy  at the batter's end but misses as the ball goes towards Singh. He looks to hit it driect at the non-striker's end but misses as well and the overthrow allows the batters to take another run. It has cost India this crucial game! Sri Lanka win by 6 wickets.

Bowls it very full and on leg, Bhanuka Rajapaksa looks to heave it but gets an inside edge onto the pads. The ball rolls towards the off side. They take one. Credit to Arshdeep Singh with the way he has bowled in this over. Can he pull off a heist here?

Plenty of chat between the skipper and the bowler. A big ball coming up....

Yorker and on middle, Bhanuka Rajapaksa digs it to deep mid-wicket for a brace. Good running! Tension all around as just 3 needed now from 3 balls!

Fuller and outside off, Dasun Shanaka looks to drive it but mistimes it to backward point for one. Brilliant bowling this! 5 needed from 4 now!

Yorker and on middle, Bhanuka Rajapaksa digs it to the leg side for one. Good ball to start with. Can he nail some more yorkers here?

Arshdeep Singh will bowl the final over! Only 7 needed now from 6 balls!

Good length on off, Bhanuka Rajapaksa guides it to point for one. Sensible from Bhanuka Rajapaksa!