Dubai, Sep 27 (NationPress) The Dubai International Cricket Stadium witnessed an extraordinary display of batting as the Sri Lankan team, captained by Charith Asalanka, put on a remarkable performance, finishing with the same score as India to push the last match of the Asia Cup Super Fours into a super-over on Friday night.

In pursuit of a target of 203 runs, Sri Lanka ended their innings at 202/5, resulting in a tie with India. Kusal Perera and Dasun Shanaka took to the field for the Super Over, but Arshdeep Singh claimed a wicket on both the first and sixth balls, restricting Sri Lanka to just two runs and setting India a target of three runs.

Skipper Suryakumar Yadav and his partner Shubman Gill stepped up for the chase, with Yadav facing the opening delivery. Remarkably, just one ball was all it took for them to secure the victory, as they managed to run three runs off it.

Earlier, the Sri Lankan bowlers struggled to contain runs as India set a challenging target of 203. Nevertheless, the Indian bowlers also had their hands full against the potent batting from Kusal Perera and Pathum Nissanka.

Despite a promising start from India, with Hardik Pandya dismissing Kusal Mendis for a golden duck, the top-order batsmen from Sri Lanka took charge, dominating the match.

The explosive partnership of Perera and Nissanka, accumulating an impressive 127 runs, set the stage for Sri Lanka as they completed the Power-play with a solid 72 runs. Their performance left the Indian bowlers in disbelief.

India finally managed to break the partnership in the 13th over when Varun Chakaravarthy cleverly trapped Perera. The World No. 1 T20I bowler delivered a flatter ball outside off, leading Perera to misjudge it, resulting in a quick stumping by Sanju Samson.

Shortly after, Kuldeep Yadav and Arshdeep Singh took two more wickets, leading to a brief loss of momentum for Sri Lanka. However, Nissanka held firm, securing his maiden century with a spectacular display.

As the match approached its climax, Sri Lanka required 23 runs off the final two overs, which quickly shrank to 12 runs off the last six balls. In a dramatic turn, Harshit Rana struck, dismissing Nissanka with the first ball of the final over, keeping the game tense.

Ultimately, the Sri Lankan team managed to tie the game, finishing with 202 runs in their 20 overs.

India had earlier set a score of 202/5, with notable contributions from Abhishek Sharma (61 runs) and Tilak Varma (49 not out). This match showcased Sharma's consistent form, marking his third consecutive half-century in the tournament.

After the early departure of Gill, India faced another setback with Suryakumar's quick dismissal. Nevertheless, brilliant performances by Abhishek, Tilak, and Sanju Samson helped India cross the 200-run threshold.

Axar Patel also made a significant impact towards the end, scoring 21 runs off 15 balls, including a six on the last ball, propelling India beyond the 200 mark.

Asalanka's men attacked fiercely as they went after the target. While the Indian bowlers struggled initially, they managed to take a few wickets later to slow the run chase.

In the end, the calmness of the Sri Lankan batsmen led them to a tie, advancing the match into a super over. However, India successfully chased down the three-run target, securing the win.

This match, though a dead rubber with India already in the finals, showcased Sri Lanka's commendable performance against the top-ranked T20I team.

Brief scores:

India 202/5 in 20 overs (Abhishek Sharma 61, Tilak Varma 49*; Maheesh Theekshana 1-36, Charith Asalanka 1-18) tied Sri Lanka 202 in 20 overs (Pathum Nissanka 107, Kusal Perera 58; Kuldeep Yadav 1-31, Varun Chakaravarthy 1-31, Hardik Pandya 1-7).

Super Over: Sri Lanka 2/2 in 1 over (Arshdeep 2-2) lost to India 3/0 in 0.1 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 3 not out).