Nishin, October 1 (Daily Kiran) : The Indian cricket team has clinched a spot in the final of the Asian Games 2026, following a commanding 124-run victory over Sri Lanka in the second semifinal held at Korogi Sports Park. Chasing a target of 170 runs, Sri Lanka was bowled out for just 45 runs in 9.5 overs.
Sri Lanka’s innings got off to a disastrous start. Key players like Sinesh Jayawardene, Lasith Krushpule, and Sohan De Livera all fell without scoring. The pressure from losing the top three batsmen for zero proved too much for the team to recover from. Nuwanidu Fernando managed 15 runs off 11 balls, while captain Sahan Arachige scored 9 off 8 balls before being dismissed.
Akshar Patel dismissed Ashen Bandara without a run, and Vanuja Sahan fell for just one run, becoming a victim of Washington Sundar. The wickets continued to tumble, and Sri Lanka’s entire lineup collapsed for a mere 45 runs. Six Sri Lankan batsmen failed to score, with only Nuwanidu reaching double figures.
On the bowling front, Jasprit Bumrah, Akshar Patel, and Abhishek Sharma each took two wickets, while Washington Sundar added one to his tally.
Earlier, after losing the toss, India batted first, scoring 169 runs for the loss of seven wickets in 20 overs. The Indian innings also started poorly, with Abhishek Sharma out for just 7 runs and Sanju Samson adding only 7 runs from 9 balls. Captain Shreyas Iyer contributed a modest 13 runs before returning to the pavilion. Vaibhav Suryavanshi showed promise, scoring 38 runs off 21 balls, including six fours and two sixes.
After three quick wickets, Ishan Kishan took charge at the crease. Despite the continuous fall of wickets, Ishan remained steady, completing his half-century in 33 balls. He finished with an unbeaten 80 runs off 46 deliveries, hitting four fours and five sixes. Akshar Patel scored 8 runs, while Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube had disappointing outings, managing only 2 and 3 runs, respectively.
For Sri Lanka, Tharindu Rathnayake took two wickets for 32 runs, and captain Sahan Arachige also claimed two wickets, conceding 28 runs. The final match will see India face Pakistan on October 3, while Sri Lanka will compete against Bangladesh for the bronze medal.
Leave a Comment