It was another disappointing night for India in Tuesday’s Asian Cup as they lost to Sri Lanka in the Super 4, putting them dangerously close to elimination from the continental event. India skipper Rohit Sharma’s scintillating 41-ball 72 went in vain as the islanders completed a 174 chase with a ball over. Sri Lanka needed 21 in 12 balls and scored 14 runs on the penultimate over bowled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, almost in their favour. India is out of the tournament if Pakistan defeats Afghanistan on Wednesday.
After the match, former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan said Arshdeep Singh should have bowled over 19th. The young pacemaker with the left arm threw the last one over and Sri Lanka needed seven runs. He fought through to the end, but Sri Lanka won in 19.5 overs.
“If you look at the ground there is no dew. The bowling actually makes it easier. There was also a little help for the spinners. The wickets that fell came all from the spinners. At least the ball held on a bit Not a single fast bowler got a wicket I think Rohit Sharma missed a trick a few times – Deepak Hooda didn’t bowl, second Arshdeep should have bowled the 19th because of the left arm angles the ball went away nicely That could have happened. was so much better. I said that during the commentary and not just after the game,” Irfan Pathan on Star Sports.
“These two things could have been better. The bowling in the first 10 overs, you certainly expect better from Team India.”
In the pursuit of what appeared to be a par score at the break of the innings, the Sri Lankans started lightning fast with openers Kusal Mendis (57 off 37 balls) and Pathum Nissanka (52 off 37 balls) scoring 91 runs at a brisk pace .
The fifty were leading in the sixth over and both batters regularly found the holes and boundaries with great ease, putting enormous pressure on the Indian bowling attack who had no idea against the positive approach of the two Lankan batters.
Leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, however, had other ideas when he struck twice in the 12th left to brake Sri Lanka’s march.
Ravichandran Ashwin sent Danushka Gunathilaka (1) back to leave Sri Lanka with a problem of 110 for three in the 14th left.
In the first ball of the next over, Sri Lanka got a body blow when Chahal got the big wicket from Mendis, who was pinned lbw for the wicket.
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But Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka and (33 out) and Bhanuka Rajapaksa (25 out) stayed until the end to complete the task for their team with a match-winning, fifth-wicket partnership of 64 runs.
(with PTI inputs)
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