Gargi Raut in Dubai
India’s penultimate match of the Asia Cup started off on a much lighter note than the previous one against Pakistan. Heading into the game, fans were unbothered with the result of the game, knowing India walked in as the favourites with their final berth sealed. Rather, fans talked about what experimentation they could expect from the team in this match.
While many thought that India would refrain from any experimentation, the management had different plans. Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bowl, and the Indian team sheet revealed that Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh found places in the XI in place of Jasprit Bumrah and Shivam Dube.
The Indian openers started off in slam-bang manner. At the helm of the assault was quite obviously the flamboyant Abhishek Sharma. Although vice-captain Shubman Gill 4 (3) had to return to the dugout after Maheesh Theekshana plucked a catch out of thin air, Sharma continued his onslaught.
By the end of the power play India had gone past 60 runs. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav 12 (13) came in at No. 3 but failed to produce an impactful knock. He fell to a delivery by Wanindu Hasaranga, plumb leg before wicket.
Sharma went on to score another half century and his seventh consecutive 30+ score in T20Is. He also crossed the 300 run mark in the tournament. The young batter is currently the highest scorer in the tournament with 309 runs, almost 200 runs ahead of second in line, Gill. His 61 runs off 31 balls consisted of a flurry of boundaries (8) and maximums (2), he eventually fell in the 10th over to a delivery by Charith Asalanka.
Tilak Varma at No 4 and Sanju Samson at 5 took the game forward. Tilak played another crucial knock. Sanju 39 (23) played second fiddle, letting Tilak take on the bowlers. He walked back after mistiming a delivery off Dasun Shanaka, this was quite possibly one of Sanju’s strongest performances in the tournament.
Only a few deliveries later, Hardik Pandya 2 (3) lost his wicket after hitting the ball up in the air. Dushmantha Chameera made a run towards mid-wicket and took a catch off his own bowling.
By the end, Tilak played a sublime knock of 49s run off 34 balls, taking on the spinners and pacers. Axar Patel 21 (15) supported him from the other end and together, they took India to a total of 202 runs.
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