First time in the tournament India was challenged and put under pressure. Despite posting the highest total of the tournament so far, India stumbled in their defense, allowing Sri Lanka to run rampant in the second innings. It’s unfortunate Sri Lanka couldn’t do justice to their talent in Super 4.
A bewitching, twisting game, strewn with comebacks and a tumult of emotions ended in a Super Over. But the one-over shootout was an anti-climax – Arshdeep Singh produced a fearsome over; three runs, two wickets, and a run-out off a dead ball. India wrapped up the chase on the first ball itself.
India posted 202 – the tournament’s first 200-plus total, riding on Abhishek Sharma’s third successive fifty and solid contributions from Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma. Barring another Suryakumar Yadav failure and a rare off-day for Shubman Gill, India’s batting unit fired on all cylinders. After having chopped and changed, a bit too much, throughout the tournament, India stuck to a batting line-up that was recognisable and reaped the rewards.
But, what looked a comfortable win turned out to be a close-shave for India, thanks to the brilliance of Pathum Nissanka, who became only the third batter after Virat Kohli and Babar Hayat to hit a hundred in Asia Cup T20.
Pathum showed why he is rated as one of the best young batting talents going around as he demoralised a high-quality bowling line-up. The Sri Lankan opener smashed 107 off 58 balls, hitting six sixes and seven boundaries. Despite losing opener Kusal Mendis in the first over to Hardik Pandya, Nissanka and Kusal Perera stitched together a 127-run stand for the second wicket in just 70 deliveries. Pacers Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana were thrashed in the latter half of the chase as India nearly gave up their unbeaten streak.
The duo attacked the Indian bowlers relentlessly, with Nissanka skillfully playing deliveries between off and middle stumps and cutting imperiously. They converted half-volleys into boundary shots and were not afraid to smash deliveries for sixes. The partnership was characterized by power-hitting and the precision to find gaps in the field, as seen in Nissanka’s seven fours and six sixes. Their aggressive approach gave Sri Lanka a strong start and put the Indian bowlers under pressure, as they were unable to find a breakthrough for a long period.
It was odd to see India huff and puff to a victory, given the way they had dominated the tournament up to that point. Truth be told, India just about got past Sri Lanka after the Islanders fumbled their well-set chase in the final two overs.
There were major concerns beyond the bowling as well, with Tilak Varma, Abhishek Sharma, and Hardik Pandya leaving the field due to injuries. With the Dubai heat beginning to take a toll on the Indian players, could the final against Pakistan turn into a far tougher contest than anticipated?
