India vs Sri Lanka, Super Four, Match 6 (A1 vs B1) – Asia Cup 2025 (26 September, Dubai/Abu Dhabi)

In what became one of the most dramatic encounters of the tournament, India and Sri Lanka produced a thriller in the Super Four stage. Although India had already secured their place in the final, Sri Lanka played with pride and pushed the defending champions to the very edge. With both teams throwing caution to the wind, the match went down to a Super Over. India eventually emerged victorious, maintaining their unbeaten run.

Match Summary

Here’s a concise view of how the game unfolded — key innings, turning points, and the result.

India Innings: 202/5 in 20 overs

• Abhishek Sharma continued his red-hot form, smashing 61 off 31 balls—his third consecutive fifty in the tournament.
• Tilak Varma (49, not out)* and Sanju Samson (39) supported with sensible contributions to push the total past the 200 mark.
• Sri Lanka’s bowlers had toiled hard, but couldn’t contain the onslaught fully.

Sri Lanka Innings: 202/5 in 20 overs

• Pathum Nissanka starred with a blazing 107, becoming the tournament’s first centurion, stitching together a powerful chase.
• Kusal Perera (58) added valuable support, with a 127-run stand for the second wicket putting Sri Lanka in strong position.
• Varun Chakravarthy succeeded in breaking the stand by dismissing Perera, but Sri Lanka held their nerves to force the game into a Super Over.

Super Over:

• Sri Lanka batted first in the Super Over but were restricted to just 2 runs, losing two wickets in the process, thanks to Arshdeep Singh’s miserly over (2 wickets in 5 balls).
• India chased the target with ease: the skipper Suryakumar Yadav sealed the win with a boundary on the first ball.

Result: India won via Super Over after the main match ended in a tie.

Key Match Stats

Below are the crucial numbers and performances that shaped this blockbuster clash:

Key Highlights

This section outlines the pivotal moments and turning points that determined the direction of the match:

• Abhishek Sharma’s blistering knock set the tone early, backing India into a strong position with his aggressive strokeplay.
• The 127-run partnership between Nissanka and Perera nearly delivered Sri Lanka the match, showing guts and class under pressure.
• Varun Chakravarthy’s wicket of Perera was a crucial turning point: it stalled the charge and allowed India’s bowling to claw back momentum.
• In the Super Over, Arshdeep Singh’s clinical execution (2 wickets, just 2 runs conceded) turned the match decisively in India’s favor.
• Suryakumar Yadav’s first-ball boundary to finish the match epitomized India’s confidence—even when under extreme pressure, they executed the chase with poise.

Conclusion

What a spectacle. This match will be remembered as one of the most exciting Super Four encounters in recent Asia Cup history. Sri Lanka deserved tremendous credit for their fightback, particularly through Nissanka’s ton and the earlier partnership with Perera. But India, backed by consistent top form from Sharma and Varma and backed by excellent death bowling in the Super Over, refused to buckle. The win reinforces India’s dominance in the tournament and sends them into the final with absolute momentum. Sri Lanka, for all their efforts, leave with their dignity intact and lessons to carry forward.