Asia cup 2023, IND vs SL: India crush Sri Lanka by 41 runs

It was an excellent cricket match between the two teams, characterized by low scores where bowlers from both sides dominated. Just a day earlier, India had played at the same venue and scored heavily, but the situation changed in this game as Sri Lanka completely overwhelmed the Indian batting lineup.

Winning the toss and choosing to bat, Indian openers began aggressively against the Sri Lankan pacers. The Sri Lankan Skipper then introduced their spinner Dunith Wellalage, which altered the entire game, resulting in a flurry of wickets.

As anticipated based on pitch conditions, Sri Lankan spinners took control of the game. Dunith Wellalage and Charith Asalanka claimed all nine Indian wickets, causing the formidable Indian batting order to crumble for a mere 213 runs. In his spell, Dunith Wellalage took five wickets, dismissing Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Hardik Pandya. Meanwhile, Charith Asalanka picked up four wickets, including Ishan Kishan, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, and Kuldeep Yadav.

Captain Rohit Sharma top-scored among the Indian batsmen, with a fine half-century to his name. Ishan Kishan (33) and KL Rahul (39) were the only players to cross the 30-run mark.

Chasing a target of 214, Sri Lanka lost their top order early, with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj taking two and one wicket, respectively. Later, the spinners played their part, bewildering the Sri Lankan middle-order batsmen.

Although the game seemed to be in Sri Lanka’s hands when Dunith Wellalage and Dhanajaya de Silva formed a solid partnership, the spin duo of Jadeja and Kuldeep ensured India’s victory by 41 runs, securing their spot in the Asia Cup Finals.

Kuldeep Yadav took four wickets and showcased terrific form, establishing himself as one of India’s main spinners heading into the World Cup. Jadeja secured two wickets, while Hardik Pandya managed to take one.

India became the first team to qualify for the 2023 Asia Cup Finals, which is scheduled for September 17th. Sri Lanka and Pakistan both have the opportunity to face India in the finals as they clash on September 14th at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.