‘Dekhte hai abb kon takkar lene aata hai’ – Fans react as India qualifies for Asia Cup 2023 final, beat Sri Lanka by 41 runs in Super Fours

India advanced to the final of the Asia Cup 2023 by ending the 13-match winning streak of Sri Lanka in ODIs with a thrilling 41-run victory in the Super Fours at the R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo on Tuesday, September 12. The home team stunned the Men in Blue in both departments and at one stage looked like they were cruising to victory. However, the Indian bowlers and fielders held their nerve to pull off an incredible win.

After winning the toss, India captain Rohit Sharma opted to bat first but they were restricted to 213/10 in 49.1 overs on the back of Dunith Wellalage’s impressive fifer. However, chasing 214 was not going to be easy on a difficult pitch to bat on. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj took three quick wickets to destroy their top-order.

When Sadeera Samarawickrama and Charith Asalanka were building a partnership, Kuldeep Yadav came on and broke that. Ravindra Jadeja also came into the attack and reduced Sri Lanka to 99/6, but Dhananjaya de Silva and Wellalage brought their side back onto the track with a 63-run stand. There was a glimmer of hope for the hosts in this partnership, but Jadeja once again provided a breakthrough by dismissing DdS. India dismissed the hosts for 172 runs in 41.3 overs.

Wellalage grabs quick wickets to put India in danger 

Earlier, batting first, the Indian openers got off to a blistering start with their skipper playing aggressive cricket. Rohit and Gill put on an 80-run stand – their third consecutive half-century partnership of the tournament – before Wellalage announced his arrival on the big stage. The youngster opened the floodgates of wickets by dismissing Gill with a beauty on his very first ball of the innings.

Wellalage stunned the Indian crowd by taking the wicket of Virat Kohli, who scored a century in the last match, in the very second over. The 20-year-old quickly turned the momentum in Sri Lanka’s favour as he dismissed the well-set rival captain (53 off 48 balls) in his third over to reduce India from 80/0 to 91/3. India got a reprieve when KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan tried to form a partnership, but the left-arm spinner dashed the hopes by removing the former.

Charit Asalanka also joined the party by sending Kishan back, putting India in further crisis. In the very next over, the star of the night Wellalage registered his maiden fifer with the wicket of India vice-captain Hardik Pandya. Then it was Asalanka’s responsibility to wrap up the Indian innings, which he did well and restricted the Men in Blue to 213/10 in 49.1 overs.

Here’s how fans reacted to India’s win against Sri Lanka: