Asia Cup 2023, IND v SL: Kuldeep Shines as India Beat Sri Lanka By 41 Runs to Seal Spot in Final

Colombo: In a gripping encounter at R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo on Tuesday, India emerged victorious over Sri Lanka by a margin of 41 runs in a low-scoring thriller. Defending a total of 213, India managed to bundle out Sri Lanka for just 172 runs, thanks to an impressive performance by Kuldeep Yadav with the ball (4-43 in 9.3 overs).

Opting to bat first after winning the toss on a dry surface, Rohit Sharma’s breezy fifty gave India a strong start. However, once the opening partnership was broken, India found themselves struggling against the Sri Lankan spinners. Despite losing wickets at regular intervals, India managed to reach 213, with contributions from KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, and Axar Patel.

It was a unique feat as all 10 Indian wickets fell to Sri Lankan spinners, marking the first time this has happened in ODIs. Dunith Wellalage starred for Sri Lanka, claiming a five-wicket haul, while Charith Asalanka took four wickets, and Maheesh Theekshana secured one.

In response, Sri Lanka faced a daunting target but struggled to chase down the total as Kuldeep Yadav and the Indian bowlers put up a strong performance. India’s solid bowling display resulted in Sri Lanka being bowled out for 172 runs, securing a 41-run victory.