The temperature wasn’t the only thing rising in the heat of Dubai; so was the drama of the final Super Four clash between India and Sri Lanka. This has to be one of the most thrilling roller coasters of the 2025 Asia Cup, a contest packed with everything: high-intensity drama, dropped catches, umpiring confusion, injuries, and, as the cherry on top, a nail-biting super over. In the end, India managed to drag victory to its side, nearly sending the heartbeats of fans on the edge of their seats through the roof. And though it was technically a dead rubber, it never felt like one, as both teams fought as if their tournament lives depended on it.
India’s Batting: Abhishek Leads the Way, Tilak’s Selfless Knock Follows
India opened the innings and set an impressive target of 202/5, considering the condition of the Dubai pitch in the first innings. Abhishek Sharma yet again proved to be the star performer for India by giving a strong head start of 61 runs, whereas Shubman Gill this time failed to hold the other end, getting out for merely 4 runs, courtesy of Maheesh Theekshana’s sharp bowling and fielding. The skipper, Suryakumar Yadav, couldn’t contribute much either, adding only 12 runs to India’s total before falling lbw to Wanindu Hasaranga.
Tilak Varma getting back to his anticipated form was a delight for the viewers; Varma held his ground and carried the game. His selfless demeanor and commitment to the team were evident when he let his half-century take a backseat and instead preferred finishing the game on a steady note by scoring 49 runs. Sanju Samson, on the other hand, even after his changing position throughout the matches, contributed a solid 39 runs, proving his flexibility. The small but impactful cameo of Axar Patel cannot be forgotten either.
Sri Lanka’s Chase: A Masterclass by Nissanka
Kusal Mendis got out on a duck to Hardik Pandya, who was the first to take the wicket for India, which initially dampened the spirits of Sri Lanka; however, Pathum Nissanka immediately came to the rescue. He took control with his staggering maiden T20I hundred. His 107 off 58 balls showed how composure combined with aggression could produce a commanding performance. Nissanka was backed well by Kusal Perera’s quick 50 before falling into a clever bowling trap set by Varun Chakravarthy, which ended their crucial 127-run partnership. With Jasprit Bumrah given a rest before India’s clash with Pakistan, Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana’s abilities were put to the test. Both Singh and Rana struggled to hold the Sri Lankan batters from scoring in the powerplay, allowing them to score 134/2 in the first 12 overs.
India’s spinners, however, brought the fight back. Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy picked the crucial wickets and did well in the middle overs, slowing down the momentum of Sri Lankan batters. But Nissanka still ensured that he stuck to the pitch until the very final over.
India’s Bowling: Buttery Fingers Add Pressure
With the last over and 12 runs to defend the win, Harshit Rana bowled the first ball and sent Nissanka back, giving a little breather to the team and fans. However, the happiness was not long-lived, with Axar Patel and Shivam Dubey mis-fielding under pressure, giving a lifeline to Sri Lanka.
Dasun Shanaka’s boundaries pushed Sri Lanka to needing just two runs off the last ball. With Patel fumbling, a desperate dive turned a single into two. Sri Lanka leveled at 202/5, giving the Asia Cup its first-ever experience of a Super Over.
The Super Over: Redemption by Arshdeep and the Umpire Drama
With Bumrah taking a rest, India shifted its belief to Arshdeep Singh, and he lived up to the expectations. First, he aimed for Kusal Perera and dismissed him for a golden duck, then he almost got Shanaka run out in a wild sequence. What made the Super Over more eventful was the confusion in the verdict of the umpire. Chaos followed when Shanaka was initially ruled as caught behind; however, the replays confirmed no edge. Because the verdict came before the run-out, the ball was declared to be dead, which left the Indian players shaking their heads in despair.
However, Arshdeep didn’t let Shanaka off the hook and sent him back to the pavilion just two balls later, restricting Sri Lanka to only 2/2 in their Super Over.
To chase the three runs, India sent out the skipper alongside Shubman Gill. Wanindu Hasaranga took the ball, hoping to pull off a miracle, but Suryakuma Yadav took matters into his own hands. With his patented calmness, he punched the very first delivery through the covers, running three to bring the victory back home, recreating what he did in Pallekele a year ago.
Looking Ahead: India vs Pakistan Historic Final
India, being victorious throughout, will now face Pakistan after nearly four decades in a historic Asia Cup final. But while India enjoys being unbeaten, their sloppy fielding and injury scares of prominent players are something that Indian fans will worry about against a sharper opponent like Pakistan. Even though Sri Lanka got eliminated today, it gave a tough fight and a nail-biting thriller for both the audiences to watch and the players to play.