However, Rohit’s dismissal started a slide as India added 63 runs at 110 for three in the 13th over
However, Rohit’s dismissal started a slide as India added 63 runs at 110 for three in the 13th over
Sri Lanka battled India to register a six-wicket victory in their Asia Cup Super 4 clash in Dubai on September 6, 2022. Only a few favorable results, and India’s win in their last Super 4 match (against Afghanistan on Thursday) could allow the side to advance to the final.
Chasing 174, Sri Lanka crossed the finish line with one ball to spare. Openers Pathum Nisanka (52, 37b, 4×4, 2×6) and Kusal Mendis (57, 37, 4×4, 3×6) gave Sri Lanka the ideal platform.
Took a brilliant over from leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal to get India back in the competition. Chahal first instigated Nissanka to reverse-sweep, and after three deliveries, Charit Aslanka (0) was driven to sweep a flight ball into deep backward square.
Off-spinner R Ashwin then dismissed Danushka Gunathilaka with a similar bounce. India bundled out Sri Lanka for 110 for four when Chahal’s pace blasted Mendis into the pads.
Bhanuka Rajapaksa (No 25, 17B, 2×6) and Captain Dasun Shanaka (No 33, 18B, 4×4, 1×6), however, were tall. The two fought hard, and threw away bad balls to hit the target.
It came down to the last over, bowled by Arshdeep Singh, with Sri Lanka needing seven to win. The left-arm bowler bowled a yorker but Sri Lanka needed a single and two to complete the task.
Earlier, Sri Lanka took wickets at regular intervals to restrict India to an even score. Save for Rohit Sharma (72, 41b, 5×4, 4×6) and Suryakumar Yadav (34, 29b, 1×4, 1×6), the rest of the Indian batsmen came a cropper.
Poor start, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli got out early. Rahul (6) reached the track only for spinner Mahesh Thexana to go to the foot of the ball. Rahul reviewed the leg before decision, but replays showed that the leg stump may have been cut. Kohli, rather involuntarily, went across the line to lose his stump to Dilshan Madushanka.
Rohit and Suryakumar supported India in trouble by scoring 13 runs for two wickets. Rohit came alive in the fifth over, bowled by Asitha Fernando, smashing the pacer for a six, and then with a cut for four.
The captain later kept the run rate healthy by hitting spinner Wanindu Hasaranga for two consecutive fours. He found life at 40, when Shanaka took a tough chance on the cover.
In the 13th over, Rohit cut a short delivery from Chhamika Karunaratne at deep point. A 97-run partnership for the third wicket between Rohit and Suryakumar put India in a good position.
However, the hard work came undone when the wickets started falling. Suryakumar attempted to play the upper cut with a slower delivery, and only bowled the ball to short third-man. Hardik Pandya (17) and Rishabh Pant (17) could not loosen up as they were dismissed for boundaries.
Deepak Hooda (3, 4b), finished seventh as a finisher, failed to deliver.
score board
India innings: KL Rahul l B W B M Thekshana 6 Rohit Sharma c Pathum Nissaka b C Karunaratne 72 Virat Kohli b Dilshan Madushanka 0 Suryakumar Yadav c CM Thekshana b Shanaka 34 Hardik Pandya c Pathum Nissaka b Shanaka 17 Rishabh Pant c Pathum Nisanka b Dilshan Madushanka 17 Deepak Hooda b Dilshan Madushanka 3 Ravichandran Ashwin not out 15 Bhuvneshwar Kumar b C Karunaratne 0 Arshdeep Singh not out 1 extra: (W-7, NB-1) 8
gross: 173/8 in 20 overs
Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-13, 3-110, 4-119, 5-149, 6-157, 7-158, 8-164
Sri Lankan Bowling: Dilshan Madushanka 4-0-24-3, Mahesh Thekshana 4-0-29-1, Chamika Karunaratne 4-0-27-2, Asitha Fernando 2-0-28-0, Vanindu Hasaranga 4-0-39-0, Dasun Shanaka 2-0-26-2.
Sri Lanka innings Pathum Nisanka c Rohit b Chahal 52 Kusal Mendis lbw b Chahal 57 Charit Aslanka c Suryakumar Yadav b Chahal 0 Danushka Gunathilaka c Rahul b Ashwin 1 Bhanuka Rajapakse not out 25 Dasun Shanaka not out 33 Extras: (B-2, LB-1, W-3 ) 6
gross: 174/4 in 19.5 overs
Fall of wickets: 1-97, 2-97, 3-110, 4-110
India’s bowling: Bhuvneshwar Kumar 4-0-30-0, Arshdeep Singh 3.5-0-40-0, Hardik Pandya 4-0-35-0, Yuzvendra Chahal 4-0-34-3, Ravichandran Ashwin 4-0-32-1.