8:30 PM IST All the pre-match rituals are done as 'Sri Lanka Matha' and 'Jana Gana Mana' are sung. It is now game time here at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. 8:25 PM IST We are just a few minutes away from the action to get underway. But before that, both sets of players and the match officials are getting lined up for their respective national anthems. It will be Sri Lanka's first, followed by the Indian national anthem. 8:22 PM IST The live visuals capture the entire Indian squad gathered in the middle, posing together for the commemorative photographs, before the start of the final Super Four clash of this edition of the Asia Cup. 8:17 PM IST India's TILAK VARMA is up for a quick chat with the broadcasters. He mentions that he tries to finish games off. Highlights that it came at the right moment for him against Pakistan. On his batting position, he shares that he has batted at severat
positions over the last couple of years, so he is used to it. Shares that Gautam Gambhir, their head coach, has said that everyone should be flexible in the batting order, and says that as a batting unit, they are mentally ready for every position. Tells that he tries to bat according to the game situation. Also says he is stressing more on fitness, saying that he is spending a lot of time in the gym, sharing that he takes a lot of inspiration from Virat Kohli in this regard. On the conditions, Varma mentions that the pitches in Dubai have been a bit on the slower side. Details that he has spoken to SKY about tonight's pitch, and reckons that it looks much better. But also tells it is still slow as compared to the Indian conditions. 8:10 PM IST PITCH REPORT - Simon Doull and Ravi Shastri are pitchside with their thoughts. Simon first begins by sharing that it is the same pitch that was used in the India vs Bangladesh game. Also highlights that the scores around 160-170 haven't been chased easily. Also adds that there has been some help for the spinners. Ravi joins and says it is a good opportunity for the batters to go out and get big runs. Reckons that the surface s it hwill remain good throughout aas played out nicely so far. Stresses
that the bowlers need to give the ball the chance to swing, as the batters will come after them in the first six overs. 8:17 PM IST The Indian captain, Suryakumar Yadav, says that they would have batted first anyway. Adds that they have been playing good cricket and just wants to stick to their plans. Mentions that dropping catches is a part of the game, but you have to want the ball to come to you to make a difference. Informs that Jasprit Bumrah and Shivam Dube have been rested. Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana come in the team. 8:09 PM IST The captain of Sri Lanka, Charith Asalanka, says they
know that they cannot qualify for the final, but they will treat this as a very important game. Looking at the track, he stresses that they will try to restrict them to 170-175. Mentions that the Lankan openers have been really consistent up top. Informs that they are going with one change for this game, as Janith Liyanage comes in for Chamika Karunaratne. 8:05 PM IST India (Playing XI) - Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Hardik Pandya, Tilak Varma, Axar Patel, Sanju Samson (WK), Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh (In place of Jasprit Bumrah), Harshit Rana (In place of Shivam Dube). 8:04 PM IST Sri Lanka (Playing XI) - Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (WK), Kusal Perera, Charith Asalanka (C), Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage (In place of Chamika Karunaratne), Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Nuwan Thushara. 8:02 PM IST TOSS - Charith Asalanka calls it right and Sri Lanka have elected to BOWL first. 7:36 PM IST India, on the other hand, have already sealed their spot in the final where they will meet arch-rivals Pakistan, and remain the only unbeaten team in the tournament. Their success has been built on explosive starts from Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill at the top, while Hardik Pandya has stepped up on occasions when the middle order looked shaky. With the ball, Jasprit Bumrah has led the charge as expected, but the real damage has consistently come from Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy in the middle overs, strangling opposition line-ups. That said, with the final looming, India could use this game to rotate their squad, test their bench strength, and keep their main
players fresh for the big showdown. Stay tuned for toss and other updates. 7:33 PM IST Sri Lanka come into this clash as the defending champions from the last time the Asia Cup was played in this format back in 2022. They began their campaign like champions too, winning all three group stage games, but faltered in the Super Fours with back-to-back defeats. The main struggle has been finding the right balance - whenever they’ve gone with an extra bowler, the batting has failed to deliver, and when they’ve opted for an extra batter, they’ve leaked runs. Still, there have been a few positives - Pathum Nissanka’s consistency at the top, Kusal Mendis regaining form, Dasun Shanaka showing his all-round ability, and flashes of brilliance from the pacers. Wanindu Hasaranga, as always, has been
their standout performer. But if Sri Lanka are to challenge India here, they will need a complete team effort and big performances across departments. 7:31 PM IST Hello and welcome to our coverage of the final Super Four clash in the Asia Cup 2025. It’s a contest played purely for pride, with no bearing on the qualification race. India have already booked their spot in the final, while Sri Lanka are out of contention. Still, the Lankans will be eager to sign off on a positive note and give their fans something to cheer about before heading home, while India will look to keep their momentum rolling into the title decider. 7:30 PM IST ... MATCH DAY ... 7:36 AM IST India and Sri Lanka meet in the last match of Super Four in the Asia Cup 2025, but the stakes couldn’t be more different for the two sides. India have already sealed their place in the final and will face either Bangladesh or Pakistan in the summit clash, while Sri Lanka are out of the reckoning and will only be playing for pride. For India, this game is about fine-tuning their combinations and keeping the winning momentum going - Abhishek Sharma’s explosive starts, Shubman Gill’s consistency, and the middle order’s depth including all-round prowess of Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube have made them look a complete batting unit. Add to that the
variety in bowling with Kuldeep Yadav’s guile, Varun Chakaravarthy's mystery, Jasprit Bumrah’s class, and Arshdeep Singh’s death-overs skill, and they look like the team to beat. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, have had a disappointing Super Four campaign where their batting failed to stand up under pressure and the bowling lacked consistency outside of Wanindu Hasaranga’s brilliance. Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, and Dasun Shanaka will need to lead with the bat, while the bowlers like Nuwan Thushara and Dushmantha Chameera must show more discipline to challenge India. Though the result won’t change the table, Sri Lanka will be desperate to bow out on a high, while India will want nothing less than a dominant display to carry their momentum into the all-important final.
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