15-year-old batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi debuts, anchoring an explosive top three alongside Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson
Defending champions India play their tournament opener after weather washed out all quarterfinals
The winner advances to face Pakistan in Saturday's gold-medal final, while the loser plays for bronze
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samon In; Arshdeep Out: Check India's Playing XI For Asian Games 2026 Semifinal Vs Sri Lanka
Fifteen-year-old batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi makes his debut as defending champions India play their rain-delayed tournament opener against Sri Lanka. The winner of this high-stakes clash advances to face Pakistan in Saturday's gold-medal final
Summary
Teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been named in India's playing XI for the Asian Games semi-final against Sri Lanka, a debut at the continental showpiece for the 15-year-old.
He is picked alongside Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, so India's top three will feature all three of the explosive, fearless strikers together for the first time in an XI. They will line up with captain Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi and Jasprit Bumrah.
Sooryavanshi arrives with a reputation well beyond his years. He scored 175 off 80 balls against England in the 2026 Under-19 World Cup final, helping India win the tournament. In June 2026 he hit the fastest List A half-century, in 11 balls, finishing on 94 off 29 in the final of the tri-series in Sri Lanka. A left-handed opener, he now adds the Asian Games to a rapidly growing list of firsts.
ll four men's quarter-finals were washed out without a ball bowled, so the four seeded teams advanced to the semi-finals. That means India go into the semi-final, scheduled for 2 pm local time at Nisshin, without having played a single ball in the tournament.
India enter as defending champions, while Sri Lanka, led by Sahan Arachchige, come in similarly unbowled and will back their spin options and the experience of Niroshan Dickwella. The winner moves into Saturday's gold-medal match, while the loser plays for bronze.
India Vs Sri Lanka, Asian Games 2026: Toss Update
Sri Lanka won the toss and have opted to field.
India Vs Sri Lanka, Asian Games 2026: Playing XIs
India: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah.
Sri Lanka: Lasith Croospulle, Sineth Jayawardena, Sohan de Livera(w), Ashen Bandara, Sahan Arachchige(c), Nuwanidu Fernando, Chamika Karunaratne, Wanuja Sahan, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Tharindu Ratnayake, Binura Fernando
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