Team India on Tuesday (September 12) secured a berth in the Asia Cup 2023 final with a comprehensive 41-run victory over Sri Lanka in the Super-4 clash at R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo.
Opting to bat first, India were bowled out for a modest 213 in 49.1 overs on a turning track. Skipper Rohit Sharma top scored for the team with 48-ball 53 while KL Rahul (39) and Ishan Kishan (33) chipped in with handy contributions.
Defending the total, the Men in Blue bundled out the hosts for a paltry 172 in 41.3 overs. The Lankan batters found it tough to tackle the Indian fast bowlers as well as spinners.
While the pace duo of Jasprit Bumrah (2-30) and Mohammed Siraj (1-17) produced fantastic spell with the new ball, seam-bowling all-rounder Hardik Pandya (1-14) bowled an economical spell in the middle overs and the spin twin of Kuldeep Yadav (4-43) and Ravindra Jadeja (2-33) ran through Sri Lanka’s middle and lower-order.
After the game, Indian captain Rohit Sharma admitted that the match against Sri Lanka was “challenging” on many aspects while also praising Hardik’s exploits with the ball.
“Was a good game. For us also to play a game like that under pressure on a slightly challenging pitch. Challenging in a lot of aspects. Definitely looking to play on pitches like this to see what we can achieve, we might as well come here and play on pitches like these,” Rohit said in the post-match presentation.
“He [Hardik Pandya] has worked really hard in his bowling for the last couple of years. It doesn’t happen overnight and it’s pleasing to see. He looked like taking a wicket off every ball. Was not an easy target to defend as the pitch got easier at the end and we had to put it consistently in one area and I think we did quite well.”
Rohit also lauded Kuldeep for his four wickets against Sri Lanka, a day after his five-wicket haul versus arch-rivals Pakistan.
“For the past year or so bowling really really well. He has done a lot of hard work on his rhythm. He went back to the drawing board and worked on it. The ball is coming out nicely and you can see the results in the last 10 ODIs,” he remarked.
India will now face the winner of the Sri Lanka versus Pakistan Super-4 clash in the final on Sunday (September 17).
