India's captain Suryakumar Yadav reacts during the Asia Cup cricket match between India and Sri Lanka at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. (AP Photo)The Indian cricket team defeated Sri Lanka in their final Super 4 game at the Asia Cup after a dramatic Super Over, where there was some controversy after Dasun Shanaka was given a reprieve according to the rules despite him being run out. After levelling the scores at 202 while chasing, Sri Lanka managed to score just two runs in the Super Over, which India knocked off in just one ball by running three runs! India will now face Pakistan in the final of the Asia Cup, in what will be the third encounter between the two arch-rivals at the tournament.
India had already qualified for the Asia Cup final before today’s game while Sri Lanka were eliminated after losing both their Super 4 games. But even though the game was a dead rubber, there was plenty of drama as the game headed into a Super Over. Batting first, India had scored 202/5 with Abhishek Sharma smashing 61. In their chase, Sri Lanka ended their innings with an identical score of 202/5 which pushed the game into a Super Over.
In the Super Over, there was further drama and a bizarre incident which led to controversy. For the Super Over, India handed the ball to Arshdeep Singh, who dismissed Kusal Perera on the first ball itself. On the fourth ball of the over, with just two runs on board for Sri Lanka, Dasun Shanaka missed the ball which flew into the hands of keeper Sanju Samson. The Lankan batters ran, while Arshdeep Singh appealed for caught behind. The umpire raised his finger, apparently for an edge. Replays show there was no bat involved. Meanwhile, Sanju Samson underhanded the ball straight at the stumps for a run out. But the Sri Lankans appealed immediately, claiming that the ball should have been dead as soon as he gave it out for caught behind. The umpire had to accept, thus giving the Sri Lankan batters one more chance. Not that it mattered because Shanaka squandered his second life in the very next ball by offering a catch as the Sri Lankan innings ended.
Here’s what rule 20.1.1.3 of the rule book says: “The ball is dead when a batter is dismissed. The ball will be deemed to be dead from the instant of the incident causing the dismissal.”
This meant that despite the batter being clearly run out, the ball was deemed dead the moment Sanju completed the catch as the umpire gave it out.
Earlier in the game, Abhishek Sharma scored another half century (31-ball-61) for India while Tilak Varma (unbeaten on 49) and Sanju Samson (39) helped India post 202 for 5 against Sri Lanka in the final Super 4s game. This was the highest score by any team in the current tournament.
In their chase, Sri Lanka were propelled by Pathum Nissanka’s 107 and Kusal Perera’s 58 as they ended on the exactl score — 202/5 — as India to force a Super Over.
(With inputs from PTI)
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