Sri Lanka produced an impressive run-chase to down India by six wickets on Tuesday and leave their opponents staring at an early exit from the Asia Cup.
If Pakistan beat Afghanistan on Wednesday, they will face Sri Lanka in Sunday’s final and knock out rivals India in the process.
Asia Cup Super 4, India v Sri Lanka as it happened: SL batters shine to push Rohit & Co to the brink
Half-centuries from openers Pathum Nissanka (52) and Kusal Mendis (57) gave Sri Lanka the perfect start to their chase of 174 in the Super Four game.
India hit back with a flurry of wickets, but Bhanuka Rajapaksa and captain Dasun Shanaka helped Sri Lanka get over the line, with two scrambled byes off the penultimate ball completing the job.
Rajapaksa, who hit 25 not out, and Shanaka, who made 33 not out, put on an unbeaten stand of 64 to leave the hopes of tournament favourites India hanging by a thread, after also losing their Super Four opener to Pakistan.
If Afghanistan do India a favour against Pakistan, Rohit Sharma’s men will still have to beat the Afghans on Thursday to have any chance of reaching the final.
Here are some reactions to India’s defeat against Sri Lanka on Tuesday:
#AsiaCup2022
— The Field (@thefield_in) September 6, 2022
🚨 If Pakistan defeat Afghanistan on Wednesday, India will not qualify for final. https://t.co/4gHztjzr4W pic.twitter.com/Dph72AflHJ
Truly humbled by all the well wishes, love and support given to @OfficialSLC and myself. We will continue to do our very best for #SriLanka ❤️
— Dasun Shanaka (@dasunshanaka1) September 6, 2022
Cracker of a game @OfficialSLC #pathum Dilshan @KusalMendis13 @dasunshanaka1 @BhanukaRajapak3 standout performances 👏👏
— Angelo Mathews (@Angelo69Mathews) September 6, 2022
Well played Sri Lanka ! Out played india in all the department ! Lot of home work for #TeamIndia to do before the World Cup ! Tough luck 🇮🇳 ! #INDvSL #AsiaCupT20
— Reema Malhotra (@ReemaMalhotra8) September 6, 2022
Despite all the hate from people who should know better, Arshdeep is among India’s best 3 death bowlers even when he’s short of confidence. Haters will hate..this young man will be a star. And these same people will sing his praises #AsiaCupT20 #INDvSL
— Hemant (@hemantbuch) September 6, 2022
#INDvSL #AsiaCupT20 pic.twitter.com/nj6s906U8W
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) September 6, 2022
India have been short of fire in the end-overs. No fangs. It is a concern
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) September 6, 2022
Apart from other major factors,the fielding for India XI was too weak tonight. Credit to Srilanka for such a strong comeback in Asia Cup after a heavy defeat in the opening game. Truly a Spirited team under @dasunshanaka1 #AsiaCup2022 #INDvsSL
— Sana Mir ثناء میر (@mir_sana05) September 6, 2022
Very impressive from Sri Lanka. Brilliant turnaround after losing their first match in #AsiaCupT20 #INDvSL
— Anjum Chopra (@chopraanjum) September 6, 2022
If you know that bowling is your weak link, you don’t point fingers at it…you must put the onus on the stronger suit i.e. India’s batting. Failure to score 15-20 above par is where the fault lies. Indian batting isn’t lasting full 20 overs…therefore, no final flourish.
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) September 6, 2022
Well done Team Sri Lanka you deserve all the applause #INDvsSL
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) September 6, 2022
India losing consecutive Asia Cup matches in 21st century:
— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) September 6, 2022
v SL & PAK in 2014
v PAK & SL in 2022
All these 4 matches had the opposition successfully chasing in the final over.#AsiaCup #INDvSL
Tell me, how many of you would have called this at the start of this tournament?! Not me! #SLvIND #AsiaCup2022
— Estelle Vasudevan (@Estelle_Vasude1) September 6, 2022
Rohit Sharma says he wants to be ready with all the answers by the time they play the World Cup. But therehave been more questions than answers so far in this competition. #AsiaCup2022
— RK (@RK_sports) September 6, 2022
Deepak Hooda didn’t bowl a single over in the last two games. So he was picked ahead of Dinesh Karthik as a specialist batter? Nice.#AsiaCup2022 #INDvSL
— Aditya Chaturvedi (@aditya_c19) September 6, 2022
Not an excuse but tough to ignore the Toss impact in Dubai. Hardest ground to win defending. One has to score in excess of 185 to win. In the last 19 games , 17 have won by the chasing team. The two games that the team won batting first were NZ v Scotland and India v Hong Kong.
— Gaurav Sundararaman (@gaurav_sundar) September 6, 2022
India's pace-bowlers against Sri Lanka:
— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) September 6, 2022
11.5 - 0 - 105 - 0#AsiaCup2022 #SLvIND
Tough one to accept that India lost against @OfficialSLC but fact is that Sri Lanka played some brilliant cricket to show they were a better side tonight.. disappointed with our result .. Hmmmmmmm #AsiaCup #INDvsSL @BCCI
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) September 6, 2022
You need bunch of selectors who know how T20 cricket operates. Should be watching T20 leagues and be ahead of the times. You can't be picking players on reputation. Some good options are sitting in IPL franchises as support staff.
— Venkata Krishna B (@venkatatweets) September 6, 2022
Such a wonderful performance by Sri Lanka. For a while, Mendis and Nissanka were batting with such serene confidence. Kusal lofting Ashwin inside out for six - shot of the match.
— Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) September 6, 2022
Pulsating end to a great match. Sri Lanka winning it by getting people on edge of their seats and completing a hat-trick of wins. India will be hurt by batting efforts in last five overs and not getting a wicket with ball in power-play. #AsiaCup2022 #SLvIND
— Niharika Raina (@niharika_raina) September 6, 2022
Shocked and sad to see @BCCI lose another match of importance, what happens to us in knock out matches in T20? No finishing in batting, can’t take wickets with the ball? Only 5 bowlers bowling for the second game in a row? With the talent we have - this is just not good enough
— Parth Jindal (@ParthJindal11) September 6, 2022
Losing Rahul and Kohli cheaply was a major setback from which India recovered through Rohit’s brilliant 72. But with last 4 wickets falling in a heap, India’s total was just about par on this pitch. Hand it to Sri Lanka for a superb chase, led by a wonderful start and finish
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) September 6, 2022
Nissanka started cautiously before he hammered Arshdeep Singh for two fours and a six in an 18-run fifth over.
Mendis joined in the fun and cleared the fence three times, including with a brilliant shot over wide long-off against Ravichandran Ashwin.
Nissanka reached his fifty in 33 balls, but Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal broke the partnership and struck twice in one over.
Mendis also completed his fifty but Sri Lanka lost Danushka Gunathilaka for one off Ashwin.
Chahal then trapped Mendis lbw to put Sri Lanka in trouble at 110-4 from 14 overs.
But Rajapaksa and Shanaka dug them out of that hole with some inspired batting, leaving only seven needed from the final over.
With two still to get from two balls, Shanaka played and missed outside off stump, but wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant and bowler Arshdeep both failed with their run out attempts and the match finished on an overthrow.
Earlier, left-arm quick Dilshan Madushanka took 3-24 in India’s 173-8 after Rohit smashed 72 off 41 deliveries.
Rohit put on 97 with Suryakumar Yadav (34) after India lost two early wickets including Virat Kohli for nought.
Kohli, who struck form after an extended batting slump with two successive half-centuries in the tournament, walked back to stunned silence from a sparse crowd dominated by Indian fans.
Rohit hit back with a flurry of boundaries but his departure opened the door for Sri Lanka who took late wickets to keep the score down.
Shanaka and Chamika Karunaratne claimed two wickets each.
Inputs from AFP
