India secured a place in the Asia Cup final with a commanding 41-run victory over Bangladesh, eliminating Sri Lanka from contention in the process. Powered by a blistering 75 off just 37 balls from Abhishek Sharma and a disciplined bowling performance, India made light work of the Super 4s clash in Colombo.
The foundation of India’s triumph was laid in a decisive PowerPlay blitz, where they surged from a quiet start to a dominant 72/0 in six overs. After managing just 17 runs in the first three overs, Abhishek tore into the Bangladeshi attack, striking sixes and fours at will. His explosive ball-striking, including four boundaries in the sixth over alone, gave India a strong platform.
Bangladesh fought back impressively in the middle overs, taking five wickets for just 60 runs. Shubman Gill fell soon after the PowerPlay, and the middle order couldn’t capitalise on the start. Abhishek’s fluent innings came to an end with an unfortunate run-out, followed quickly by the dismissals of Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma. The late acceleration never materialised, and India were restricted to 168/6, with Hardik Pandya chipping in with a useful 38.
In reply, Bangladesh managed a modest 44/1 in their PowerPlay. While Saif Hassan showed glimpses of resistance, India’s spinners quickly took control. Axar Patel and Varun Chakaravarthy applied the squeeze, removing key middle-order batters as Bangladesh stumbled to 87/5.
Saif Hassan kept his side afloat with a valiant 69, but he received little support. Bangladesh’s innings unraveled in the death overs, losing five wickets for just 19 runs. Kuldeep Yadav starred with figures of 3/18, while Jasprit Bumrah’s early spell kept the pressure on from the start.
The result means India will contest the Asia Cup final, while their remaining Super 4s clash against Sri Lanka is now a dead rubber. For Bangladesh, the road to the final remains open, but they must recover quickly for a must-win clash against Pakistan, scheduled less than 24 hours after this defeat.
Reflecting the game’s momentum swings, India’s dominance in the PowerPlay proved decisive, and their spinners ensured there was no comeback for the Tigers.
Brief Scores:
India 168/6 in 20 overs (Abhishek Sharma 75, Hardik Pandya 38; Rishad Hossain 2-27)
Bangladesh 127 all out in 19.3 overs (Saif Hassan 69; Kuldeep Yadav 3-18, Jasprit Bumrah 2-18)
Result: India won by 41 runs.
