In a thrilling encounter at the Asia Cup 2025, India defeated Sri Lanka in a Super Over after Pathum Nissanka's brilliant century went in vain. The match, held on Friday at the Dubai Cricket Stadium, saw both teams tied at 202/5 after their respective 20 overs, leading to aSuper Over finish.

India, already qualified for the final, maintained their unbeaten run in the tournament, while Sri Lanka, having lost their previous Super 4 matches, were already out of contention for the final. Despite the game being a dead rubber, the intenseSuper Over finish made it feel like a final, according to Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav.

India batted first and posted a total of 202/5, with Abhishek Sharma leading the charge with a scintillating 61 off 31 balls. Sharma's innings included eight fours and two sixes, setting a strong foundation for the Indian innings. Tilak Varma also contributed with an unbeaten 49 off 34 deliveries. Sanju Samson added a quickfire 39 off 23 balls, while Axar Patel chipped in with a valuable 21* off 15 towards the end, helping India cross the 200-run mark.

Sri Lanka's chase began disastrously, with Hardik Pandya dismissing Kusal Mendis for a duck in the first over. However, Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Perera then forged a remarkable 127-run partnership off 70 balls, putting Sri Lanka in a commanding position. Both batsmen attacked the Indian bowlers aggressively, with Nissanka reaching his half-century in 25 balls. Perera was eventually dismissed by Varun Chakravarthy for 58, leaving Sri Lanka needing 69 off 50 balls.

Nissanka continued his onslaught, reaching his century in just 52 balls, the first of Asia Cup 2025. He smashed seven fours and six sixes in his innings, keeping Sri Lanka in the hunt. However, the dismissals of Charith Asalanka and Kamindu Mendis put pressure back on Sri Lanka, with the required run rate climbing. Harshit Rana eventually dismissed Nissanka in the final over, but Sri Lanka managed to score 11 runs off the last five balls to tie the score.

In theSuper Over, Arshdeep Singh bowled brilliantly, conceding just two runs and taking two wickets. He dismissed Kusal Perera and Dasun Shanaka, leaving Sri Lanka with a meager target to defend. India's Suryakumar Yadav then sealed the victory with a boundary off the first ball of theirSuper Over.

There was a moment of controversy in theSuper Over when Dasun Shanaka attempted to steal a single on a bye, and Sanju Samson hit the stumps with a direct hit. The umpire initially gave it out caught behind, but Shanaka reviewed the decision. Replays showed there was no edge, but the run-out decision was not considered because the umpire's caught behind decision had made the ball dead.

Despite the loss, Pathum Nissanka was named Player of the Match for his brilliant century. Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka praised Nissanka's "unbelievable batting" and the positive aspects of their Asia Cup campaign. India will now face Pakistan in the final, marking their third encounter in the tournament and the first India-Pakistan final in the Asia Cup (across formats) since 1984.