Sri Lanka levelled India's 202-run total in last Super Four match of Asia Cup
Arshdeep Singh appealed successfully for Dasun Shanaka's caught-behind
Shanaka reviewed it right away and had decision overturned by DRS
The already thrilling India vs Sri Lanka, Asia Cup 2025 Super Four clash took an extra dramatic turn with a bizarre sequence of events unfolding during the Super Over in Dubai on Friday (September 26, 2025). India eventually won the humdinger to maintain their winning streak ahead of the big-ticket final against Pakistan.
India Vs Sri Lanka: What Was Super Over Wicket Confusion All About?
But before that, there was a remarkable wicket-that-wasn't in the Super Over bowled by Arshdeep Singh. Dasun Shanaka, the batter on strike, played and missed the fourth delivery and inexplicably tried to scamper through for a single.
Meanwhile, Arshdeep optimistically appealed for a caught-behind and umpire Gazi Sohel raised the finger as well. Spotting Shanaka out of the crease, India wicket-keeper Sanju Samson took aim and threw underarm to break the stumps.
India thought they had their man, the second and last wicket of the Super Over innings, and began to walk off. But seeing the caught-behind decision, Shanaka reviewed it right away and indeed, he was adjudged not out with replays showing he had missed the ball completely.
India Vs Sri Lanka: Why Did Run Out Not Stand?
Though he was out of his ground by a long margin, Shanaka did not lose his wicket, much to the bemusement of the Indian team and many fans. The reason for the decision, however, is rooted in the game's laws.
According to Law 20.1.1.3, as soon as umpire Sohel ruled Shanaka out caught-behind, it became a dead ball and thus, the run out became moot. The first decision made by the umpires always stands in such scenarios.
To be clear, had Arshdeep not appealed and/or the umpire not raised his finger, the run out would have stood and India would have had their man.
It is another matter that all the drama did not lead to much, with Shanaka holing out to Jitesh Sharma at deep backward point off the very next ball. The Lankan Super Over yielded just two runs and Suryakumar Yadav rattled off the tiny target with a boundary off the first ball of India's Super Over innings.
Though inconsequential in terms of progression to the summit clash, the game was arguably the best witnessed in this edition of Asia Cup T20. Pathum Nissanka smashed a 58-ball 107 to help Sri Lanka level India's 202-run total and force the one-over shootout.
Kusal Perera and Nissanka took the Indian bowling to cleaners, amassing an unbroken 107-run partnership in the first 10 overs to raise visions of an unlikely Sri Lanka victory. The quickfire fifties from Perera and Nissanka meant Sri Lanka notched up 114 runs at the halfway stage of their innings, which is the highest total at the 10-over mark in Asia Cup T20 history.
Varun Chakaravarthy eventually broke the big 127-run stand, having Perera stumped by Sanju Samson for a 32-ball 58 to bring India back in the game. Nissanka went on to get his hundred, and was named the Player of the Match despite Sri Lanka's defeat for his incredible knock.
Earlier, Samson gained much-needed confidence with a useful 39 after Abhishek Sharma's familiar early assault as India posted an imposing 202 for 5. This was the highest score by any team in the current tournament, surpassing India's 188 against Oman and Afghanistan's same total versus Hong Kong.
While Abhishek blasted his way to a 31-ball-61, Samson was finally in his element at No. 5, playing some breathtaking sixes in his 22-ball-innings. Tilak Varma anchored the innings well to finish on an unbeaten 49 off 34 balls, a knock that will do him a world of good.
Abhishek hammering the bowlers in the powerplay has become the norm of this tournament as he completed a hat-trick of half-centuries. Friday's innings was laced with eight fours and two sixes, even as Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav were dismissed cheaply.
India had already secured a spot in the high-stakes final against Pakistan on September 28, while Charith Asalanka's side bowed out of the tournament with this hard-fought display.
