New Delhi, India

After a defeat versus Pakistan, India faced Sri Lanka in a crucial Super Four clash in the Asia Cup 2022 edition on Tuesday (September 06). Riding on Rohit Sharma's 41-ball 72 and some contributions from Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya and R Ashwin, they managed a competitive 173-8 but the Lankans impressed throughout the contest and defeated India by six wickets in a pulsating run-chase, with Dilshan Madushanka, Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka and captain Dasun Shanaka leading the charge. With another defeat in the Super Four, India have one foot on the flight back home. 

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Being asked to bat first, Rohit-led India lost KL Rahul and Virat Kohli for cheap. While Maheesh Theekshana dismissed Rahul, Kohli looked clueless and played a very poor shot off Dilshan Madushanka to depart for a four-ball duck. The onus fell on captain Rohit and he looked in his elements. He was joined by his Mumbai Indians' (MI) teammate Suryakumar Yadav as the two stitched 97-run stand with Rohit being the aggressor, smashing some big sixes en route to an impressive 41-ball 72 (laced with 5 fours, 4 sixes). His dismissal, however, brought the Lankans back into the contest with SKY (34), Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya (falling for 17 apiece) with the bowlers using the longer dimensions of the ground to good effect. 

Chamika Karunaratne and Dasun Shanaka accounted for two scalps each and a combined bowling effort restricted India to 173/8. Madushanka was most impressive with a spell of 4-0-24-3. With the Lankans having completed two successive run-chases on the trot, they were favourites going into the run-chase.

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In reply, SL openers Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka started off on a confident note. The Indian bowlers didn't resort to the change of pace as much as the Lankans and paid the price. The two openers complemented each other and found the boundaries at regular intervals as India failed to produce wicket-taking deliveries. At the halfway stage, SL were 89 for no loss. In the 12th over, Yuzvendra Chahal inflicted two wickets on the trot to bring India back into the game. R Ashwin also removed Danushka Gunathilaka but Nissanka's wicket changed the complexion of the game completely. 

However, skipper Shanaka's 18-ball 33 not out and Bhanuka Rajapaksa's 17-ball 25* took the Islanders home in another last-ball thriller. Arshdeep Singh tried his best in the final over but some sloppy work on the field and few loose deliveries from time to time sealed India's fate, bringing them very close to an early elimination. They now face Afghanistan on Thursday (September 08) but will hope for the Afghan side to beat Pakistan on Wednesday (September 07) to remain alive in the contest by the barest of margins.

If Pakistan win even one of their remaining two games, India will stand eliminated irrespective of the result against Afghanistan.