Kuldeep Yadav

Dubai [UAE], September 27 (ANI): India managed to survive a scare from centurion Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Perera as they managed to beat Sri Lanka in a Super Over after the match ended in a tie with SL almost pulling off a successful run-chase of 203 runs at Dubai on Friday.

With this nail-biting win, India remain unbeaten and advance to the final, while Sri Lanka bowed out of the Super Four stage without a win, despite entering it unbeaten. The match saw standout performances from both sides, with India holding their nerve in crunch moments.

Abhishek’s 61 in 31 balls (with eight fours and two sixes) and crucial middle-order contributions from Tilak Varma (49* in 34 balls with four boundaries and a six) and Sanju Samson (39 in 23 balls, with a four and three sixes) took India to 202/5 in their 20 overs. While India got early wickets of Kusal Mendis, Nissanka (107 in 58 balls, with seven fours and six sixes), and Perera (58 in 32 balls, with eight fours and a six), almost took the game away from India until they staged a comeback of sorts towards the end and stopped SL just in time to make a Super Over happen. SL could manage just two runs in their Super Over, with Arshdeep Singh getting two wickets, and skipper Suryakumar wiped off the target on the first ball itself.

During the run-chase of 203 runs, India were off to a fine start as Hardik Pandya got the wicket of dangerous Kusal Mendis for a golden duck. SL was 7/1 in 0.4 overs.

However, after this early hiccup, the pair of Kusal Perera and Pathum Nissanka milked some boundaries against pacers, notably belting Harshit Rana for 16 runs in the fifth over, with Nissanka hitting two sixes and a four. SL reached the 50-run mark in 4.3 overs.

Introduction of spin in the final over of powerplay was not fruitful for India as Axar Patel was hit for two boundaries, ending the six overs at 72/1, with Nissanka (47*) having pressed the accelerator along with Perera (24*).

Nissanka reached his third fifty of the competition in 25 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes, his quickest in terms of balls faced. In the ninth over, launching Kuldeep Yadav for a four and six, reaching his half-century in 25 balls, with seven fours and a six. With a four against Kuldeep between deep mid-wicket and long-on, SL reached the 100-run mark in 8.5 overs.

Nissanka continued the assault on tweakers, as SL ended their 10 overs at 114/1, with Nissanka (61*) and Kusal (52*) unbeaten, the highest total at the halfway mark in this edition of the Asia Cup.

Harshit’s horror night continued as 16 runs came from his third over, with the duo unleashing two fours and a six against him.

The dreadful partnership for India ended at 127 runs, as Varun got Perera stumped by Sanju Samson for 58 in 32 balls, with eight fours and two sixes. SL was 134/2 in 12.2 overs. SL lost two wickets in quick succession as Kuldeep Yadav and Arshdeep Singh opened their tallies by removing skipper Charith Asalanka (5) and Kamindu Mendis (3) respectively. SL was 163/4 in 16.4 overs.

However, Nissanka, going on unaffected on the other end, smashed Arshdeep for a straight six to become the third batter ever to score a century in the T20I Asia Cup and reach his maiden T20I ton, in 51 balls, with seven fours and six sixes.

With two overs left, SL needed 23 runs, with a red-hot Nissanka joined by Dasun Shanaka, an extremely capable finisher in his own right.

Arshdeep came to deliver the penultimate over, conceding 11 runs due to two wides and a last-ball four by Shanaka, leaving SL with 12 runs to win in the final over.

Harshit Rana came in clutch on the first ball of the final over, getting Nissanka out for a 58-ball 107. However, with three needed off one, SL batters managed to take the game to a Super Over.

Arshdeep struck on the first ball of the Super Over to remove Perera, and further removed Shanaka with SL having just two runs on the board with a ball left. India was left with three runs to win. Suryakumar and Gill took India to these three runs on the first ball itself.

Earlier, Abhishek Sharma’s blitz and the middle order’s combined contribution powered India to a commanding position and, at the same time, blew away Sri Lanka in the final Super Fours fixture. Abhishek was once again at the forefront of India’s batting attack, but the middle order stepping up was the biggest positive for India. Even though Hardik Pandya faltered, the troika of Axar Patel (21*), Tilak Varma (49*) and Sanju Samson (39) chipped in with valuable contributions.

Their rollicking efforts laid the foundation for India to become the first team to score over 200 in the ongoing tournament. With a maximum from Axar on the final ball, India finished with 202/5, the second-highest total in the history of the tournament.

After being put to bat, vice-captain Shubman Gill opened his account with a flick to find the boundary rope, but perished against off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana in the next over and returned cheaply on 5(4).

Abhishek went about the business with his usual hostility, while skipper Suryakumar Yadav took his time to rediscover his charm at the other end. In the final over of the powerplay, Abhishek thumped Nuwan Thushara to send the ball racing to the boundary rope, bringing up a hat-trick of fifties.

India ended the powerplay with 71/1 on the board, and right after the fielding restrictions got lifted, Suryakumar fell before finding his mojo. Sri Lanka’s star spinner Wanindu Hasaranga pinned the dynamic swashbuckler right in front of the stumps. He went low to sweep the ball away, but the length was too full to execute it. The ball snuck under his bat and struck him in the middle of the pad.

He challenged the decision, but three reds appeared on the big screen to mark his return on a rustic 12(13). Abhishek miscued the short-length delivery off skipper Charith Asalanka straight to Kamindu Mendis stationed at the boundary rope near deep mid-wicket. The young southpaw was livid with himself; he thudded his bat with his glove before returning to the dugout with a belligerent 61(31).

Sanju Samson flaunted his brute force while Tilak Varma flexed his unorthodox strokeplay to stitch up a 66-run stand. Samson pumelled three maximums with two on the trot off Dasun Shanaka in the 16th over. However, it was the Sri Lankan captain who had the last laugh. After conceding two towering sixes, Shanaka lured Samson to hole out to Asalanka and return on 39(23).

Hardik Pandya, known for his rollicking finishing touches, ballooned the ball straight back to Dushmantha Chameera and went back cheaply on 2(3). With boundaries the need of the hour, Axar Patel and Tilak went full throttle to take India past the 200-run mark. Axar finished the innings on a high note by dispatching the ball past the boundary rope for a six as India finished on 202/5.

Brief Scores: India: 202/5 (Abhishek Sharma 61, Tilak Varma 49*, Maheesh Theekshana 1/36) beat SL: 202/5 (Pathum Nissanka 107, Kusal Perera 58, Kuldeep Yadav 1/31) in a Super Over. (ANI)

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