India qualify for Asia Cup final with 41-run victory over Sri Lanka; Rohit Sharma’s side to face Pakistan or Sri Lanka in Sunday’s final; India successfully defend 213 all out in Colombo with spinner Kuldeep Yadav taking four wickets
India booked their place in the final of the Asia Cup after snapping Sri Lanka’s 13-match winning streak in ODI cricket with a 41-run victory in Colombo.
India, a day after demolishing Pakistan by 228 runs at the same ground, successfully defended a total of 213 all out as Sri Lanka were dismissed for 172 in reply.
Rohit Sharma’s side will face the winners of Thursday’s game between Sri Lanka and Pakistan in Sunday’s final with Bangladesh’s hopes of advancing from the Super Four now over.
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Dunith Wellalage’s excellent all-round display came in vain for Sri Lanka, with the left-arm spinner, 20, taking a five-wicket haul and scoring an unbeaten 42.
Wellalage dismissed five of India’s top six, removing Rohit (53), Shubman Gill (19) and Virat Kohli (3) as Rohit’s team slipped from 80-0 to 91-3.
The youngster then ended a half-century stand between KL Rahul (39) and Ishan Kishan (33) when he caught Rahul off his own bowling before also going on to oust Hardik Pandya (5).
Sri Lanka, who had last been beaten in ODI cricket by Afghanistan in June, slumped to 25-3 and then 99-6 in the chase before a stand of 63 between Wellalage and Dhananjaya de Silva (41) gave them hope.