Already assured of a place in the Asia Cup 2025 final against Pakistan, India used their last Super Four clash against Sri Lanka as an opportunity to test the middle order.
Riding on Abhishek Sharma’s third consecutive half-century, the Men in Blue posted a tournament-high 202/5 at the Dubai International Stadium on Friday.
Asked to bat first, Abhishek (61 off 31) once again exploded in the powerplay, racing to a 22-ball fifty and dismantling the Sri Lankan attack.
His fiery knock, combined with a brisk fifty-run stand alongside Suryakumar Yadav (12 off 13), propelled India to 100/3 by the halfway stage. Though both departed soon after, the platform was set for the highest total of the tournament.
Sanju Samson (39) and Tilak Varma (49*), who anchored the innings, added another fifty-run partnership to keep the scoreboard moving. After Samson’s dismissal, Tilak carried on, batting through the innings, while Axar Patel (21* off 12) provided the finishing touches with a late cameo that pushed India beyond the 200-run mark.
For Sri Lanka, already out of contention, wickets came sporadically but they failed to maintain pressure, allowing India to dominate with the bat. Fielding lapses further compounded their troubles, leaving them with the daunting task of chasing down 203 to salvage pride.
Brief Scores: India 202/5 (Abhishek Sharma 61, Tilak Varma 49*, Sanju Samson 39; Charith Asalanka 1/18) vs Sri Lanka.