Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Another game that went down to the wire and India once again found themselves on the wrong side of it. They are mathematically not out of the Asia Cup yet, but a lot of results will have to go their way, for them to make it to the final. Sri Lanka all but through. Anyway, that's all from us tonight. Hope you enjoyed our coverage as much as we enjoyed bringing it to you. The tournament rumbles on with Pakistan taking on Afghanistan tomorrow, and we will be right here with every update. Till then, this is me Ashish Pant signing off on behalf of Sidharth Monga and Chandan Duorah. Goodnight!

Here's a stat nugget before we wrap up. Only four of Rohit Sharma's 32 fifty-plus scores in T20Is ended in losing cause. His last fifty in a defeat was vs West Indies in 2016.

Dasun Shanaka is the Player of the Match : 'The confidence in the dressing room is great. The bowlers in patches, they bowled well . Credit to Dilshan, and Theekshana, they bowled really well. The batters came out against them, but we did well. We had good discussions after the first game, and we know what we can do. Pathum and Kusal set the tone brilliantly, and Rajapaksa and I set up the chase. [On him not bowling much] It's due to the team combination, so I haven't been bowling my quota. I need to take the best decision the team needs.'

Rohit Sharma, the Indian captain up first: We ended up on the wrong side, just as simple as that. The kind of runs we got, we could have capitalised a bit more. We were 10-15 runs short. The guys out in the middle need to learn what they need to do and what kind of shot-making can happen, This team was on a good run for a long time, such losses will help us better to learn as a team. It was a good effort with the ball, considering the start they got. The spinners came out and bowled quite aggressively. In the end, SL held their nerves quite well. [Three seamers?] We thought with the bigger boundary, you can use the spin well. Their right-handers batted for longer periods of time. I was thinking of bringing Hooda but it did not work out the way we thought. Avesh has not pulled up that well. He didn't turn up well. He was quite sick. Ideally, when we start touring, we would like four seamers., But you also try with three. Come the WC I want to be ready with all answers. Since Hardik came back we always played with three seamers with Hardik being the fourth, but we have to look at all options. We pretty much know now what to deal with regarding our combination. [Long-term worries?] No worries. It is just the two games we have lost back to back. Since the last WC, we haven't lost much. We wanted to put ourselves under pressure during this Asia Cup. We are still looking for some answers but when we play a game like this, you get a lot of answers. You have to give a lot of credit to Arshdeep for coming out the way he did at the end.

Presentation time:

Here's Kusal Mendis, who set the tone of the chase with a 37-ball 57: Very happy. Pathum and I had a good start and then Rajapaksa and Shanaka had an amazing, probably this tournament's best partnership. The right-left hand combination worked for us. I worked hard in SL, and the coaches told me to play the normal game, take singles, hit the fours or six. That's helped us get success. We tried to find the gap, and that's the option we went for. We played our normal game. We have power hitters in the middle. My role is to play my normal game in the first six overs.

9.48pm Celebrations in the SL camp. The players run out to the middle to embrace Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Dasun Shanaka. Sri Lanka all but through to the final. A third straight 170-plus chase for them and that is a run chase for the ages set up by the openers. India put up a par score, but Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka hit their straps from the get-go. The duo added 97 runs for the opening wicket in 11.1 overs with both batters getting fifties. India then made a comeback largely through Chahal, who picked up 3 for 34 in his four overs. He changed the game around with his spell while Ashwin too did his bit. However, the pacers were disappointing once again. Rajapaksa and Shanaka came in with SL at 110 for 4 with the target still a fair bit away. However, they made sure to find boundaries at regular intervals to take their side close. Bhuvneshwar Kumar conceded 14 off the penultimate over with Arshdeep tasked to defend just seven off the final. He tried his best, nailing the yorker almost every ball. But it was SL who held their nerves better. Did the better team win today? - 100%.

Dasun Shanaka's last three T20I innings vs India - 154 runs, 75 balls, 0 dismissals, 15 fours, 8 sixes

JOYDEEPSINGHGIL: "Is India out of this tournament with this loss or it's still chance left for them for qualify." If Pakistan win tomorrow, India are out.

Akshat Rastogi: "India came in the tournament to find answers to many questions, I think they have new set of questions to answer now."

Singh : "Could Pant have outrun the batter or at least got closer to the stumps before taking the aim." He could have, yes. But the best can flounder under pressure.

Saurabh Mantri : "Good wake up call for India before World cup. They need to find the answers for best team combination. They have won alot of bilateral series but it doesn't matter. We always remember who won the world cup."

19.5
2b
Arshdeep Singh to Shanaka, 2 byes, All over! Sri Lanka win with one ball to spare. They hold their nerves at a clutch stage, India...don't. Back of a length outside off, he shapes up for the cut but makes no connection with the ball going to Pant. He had all three stumps to aim at with the batter nowhere in the frame. He misses. The ball rolls to Arshdeep who has a chance to run Shanka out at the non-striker's end. He misses too, and they run back for two. Shanaka lost his bat while taking the first run but he scampers back, no bat in hand, puts in the dive and makes it. Arms aloft, he is all smiles. SL win by six wickets and have a foot in the final.

2 off 2. Super Over anyone? Can Shanaka gets a boundary?

19.4
1
Arshdeep Singh to Rajapaksa, 1 run, Very full on the leg stump again, he gets an inside edge as the ball lobs to backward point on the bounce

Lots of advice coming for Arshdeep. Hardik, Rohit doing the talking

19.3
2
Arshdeep Singh to Rajapaksa, 2 runs, Another yorker on middle and leg, he digs it to deep midwicket. Surya runs in quickly but a wayward throw means they get back for two.
19.2
1
Arshdeep Singh to Shanaka, 1 run, Full length outside off, he gets a thick outside edge to backward point. 142kph.

Rohit has a word with Arshdeep, Over the wicket

Patrick: "This SL team reminds me of the late 90s SA team, not many superstars, but a bunch of champions when put together."

19.1
1
Arshdeep Singh to Rajapaksa, 1 run, Inch-perfect yorker on middle stump. He can only jam it to the onside. They take a quick run.

So Bhuvi goes for 14. Arshdeep has seven runs to defend. Over the wicket to Rajapaksa.

END OF OVER:
19 | 14 Runs | SL: 167/4 (7 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 8.78, RRR: 7.00)

  • Bhanuka Rajapaksa21 (14b)
  • Dasun Shanaka32 (16b)
  • Bhuvneshwar Kumar4-0-30-0
  • Hardik Pandya4-0-35-0
18.6
1
Kumar to Rajapaksa, 1 run, Length ball on leg stump, patted to backward point sensibly and they take a run.
18.5
1
Kumar to Shanaka, 1 run, Yorker outside off, he digs it to extra cover. But Shanaka has done his job.
18.4
4
Kumar to Shanaka, FOUR, Edged and four! Is that the game? Very full outside off, he gets a thick outside edge and with the third man up that was a four for the taking. Too predictable there Bhuvi.
18.3
4
Kumar to Shanaka, FOUR, Full toss outside off, and this time Shanaka gets enough bat on it and thumps it to the deep cover fence. The 50 partnership comes up in 29 balls.
18.3
1w
Kumar to Shanaka, 1 wide, Another wide past the tramline again. Ah, why he is trying so hard. Get the yorkers closer to the stump.
18.3
1w
Kumar to Shanaka, 1 wide, Wide yorker but that was well past the tramline. Called a wide.
18.2
1
Kumar to Rajapaksa, 1 run, Low full toss again on the pads, he flicks it away but straight to deep backward square leg. Hmm, wasn't the best of deliveries .
18.1
1
Kumar to Shanaka, 1 run, Low full toss outside off, he shuffles well across but scoops it straight to short fine leg. How he would have loved to find the gap there

Bhuvi tasked with bowling the 19th over again. He went for 19 runs in the last match

END OF OVER:
18 | 12 Runs | SL: 153/4 (21 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 8.50, RRR: 10.50)

  • Dasun Shanaka22 (12b)
  • Bhanuka Rajapaksa19 (12b)
  • Hardik Pandya4-0-35-0
  • Arshdeep Singh3-0-35-0
17.6
1
Pandya to Shanaka, 1 run, slower length ball on the pads. He does not get any bat on it this time though. The ball goes to fine leg.
17.5
6
Pandya to Shanaka, SIX, 145 kph now but on leg stump. All Shanka has to do it is get some bat on it and he does that with panache! Gets across and helps it over the fine leg fence for a 69m six.
17.4
0
Pandya to Shanaka, no run, 142 kph, so Hardik is steaming in alright. Length on leg, Shanaka goes for a wild slog, misses and the balls squeaks past the stumps
17.3
4
Pandya to Shanaka, FOUR, Unlucky Hardik! Slower back of a length ball outside off, he looks to force it away through covers, gets a thick outside edge that just goes past a diving Pant to his right.
17.2
1lb
Pandya to Rajapaksa, 1 leg bye, Full length on leg stump, 140kph. He is beaten for pace as he looks to flick it away. Is hit on the pads with the ball rolling to the on side
17.1
0
Pandya to Rajapaksa, no run, Slower back of a length ball outside off, he looks to cut it hard and misses it completely. Did not get enough room there. Hardik asks Pant whether he heard a sound. Nothing from Pant, though.

Hardik to bowl now.

END OF OVER:
17 | 9 Runs | SL: 141/4 (33 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 8.29, RRR: 11.00)

  • Dasun Shanaka11 (8b)
  • Bhanuka Rajapaksa19 (10b)
  • Arshdeep Singh3-0-35-0
  • Ravichandran Ashwin4-0-32-1
16.6
0
Arshdeep Singh to Shanaka, no run, Excellent yorker to finish things off. On the toes goes Arshdeep, that swung a bit as well. Nothing that the batter can do. There is a slight appeal as well but that was going down leg.
16.5
2
Arshdeep Singh to Shanaka, 2 runs, Very full outside off, he digs it to Rohit at extra cover, where a misfield allows the batters an extra run. He lifted his head a tad bit early did Rohit, possibly searching for a runout. Instead lets the ball through his legs. The pressure getting to the best.
16.4
1
Arshdeep Singh to Rajapaksa, 1 run, Banged in short on the body, he mistimes the pull, but there is no midwicket in place.

Sri Lanka 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st97BKG MendisP Nissanka
2nd0BKG MendisKIC Asalanka
3rd13MD GunathilakaBKG Mendis
4th0PBB RajapaksaBKG Mendis
5th64PBB RajapaksaMD Shanaka

Men's T20 Asia Cup

Super Four
TeamMWLPTNRR
SL33060.701
PAK3214-0.279
IND31221.607
AFG3030-2.006
Group A
TeamMWLPTNRR
IND22041.096
PAK21123.811
HKG2020-4.875
Group B
TeamMWLPTNRR
AFG22042.467
SL2112-2.233
BAN2020-0.576