India won their second Super 4 match against Sri Lanka by 41 runs on Sept. 12 to enter the finals of the Asia Cup. Despite having scored a mere 213 runs, the Indian team managed to clinch the win against the defending champions and make it to the finals of the Asia cup for the tenth time.
Batting first, india was off to a shaky start after young Sri Lankan spinner Dunith Wellalage sent Shubman Gill to the stands breaking the opening partnership. The 20-year-old bowler decimated the Indian batting lineup and went on to claim five crucial wickets in the match, drowning India’s hopes.
Wellalage's attack was bolstered by Charith Asalanka's occasional off-spin, which took four wickets. Sri Lanka's spinners took all 10 wickets in India's innings with Maheesh Theekshana taking the final one to bowl India out after the rain break.
The Indian pacers, however, took the initiative in the second innings and struck early. With only 25 runs on the board, the top order of Sri Lanka was sent back to the pavilion by the relentless Indian seam attack.Spinners became increasingly effective as the innings progressed, not only stifling Sri Lankan batting but also regularly picking up crucial wickets.
The match hung in the balance as Dunith Wellalage and Dhananjaya de Silva kept up Sri Lankan hopes with their tenacious 63-run partnership. However, they could not withstand the pressure and lost by a score of 41 runs.
Once again, Kuldeep Yadav was India’s most effective bowler, as he took four wickets in the match. As a result of his stellar performance, he is now tied for the most wickets taken in the competition. India continued their historic run by reaching the Asia Cup 2023 finals without losing a single game. They are the first team in the tournament's history to accomplish this feat.
Consecutive wins in Colombo for #TeamIndia
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