Like the endearing warmth of the fireplace in a cold Himalayan cottage, India too found its comfort zone up in the hills. Virat Kohli (95, 104b, 8×4, 2×6) played the shepherd guiding his flock, and chasing New Zealand’s 273, the Men in Blue coasted home with a four-wicket victory. India finished with 274 for six in 48 overs in a key World Cup game at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala on October 22.

The pursuit shimmered bright in the beginning as skipper Rohit Sharma whipped and lofted Trent Boult, and hoisted and scooped Matt Henry. Shubman Gill, meanwhile, drove with elan, and India moved to 63 for no loss in 10 overs. A false note occurred when Rohit (46) chopped Lockie Ferguson onto his stumps.

Next man Kohli punched Ferguson for four but Gill failed to get past the waiting third-man fielder. The clouds then descended and the cricketers admired nature’s tapestry. Despite the mist, Kohli and Shreyas Iyer got some runs but when visibility declined, a short break was imposed.

On resumption, Shreyas succumbed to Boult. Kohli watched K.L. Rahul tuck into Rachin Ravindra’s spin. The last-named then felt the heat of Kohli’s blade, an inside-out lofted strike flew into the skies and when Henry steamed in, he was drilled away with disdain.

Mitchell Santner prised out Rahul and the worry-lines popped up once Suryakumar Yadav got run-out. India was delicately placed at 191 for five but Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja ensured that there were no further alarms. A garland of muscular hits against Boult found Kohli nearly galloping towards his ton before he fell at the last stretch but by then he had left India at the cusp of a special triumph.

In the afternoon as vehicles crawled up narrow hill roads and boisterous fans disembarked in their blue shade, Rohit won the toss and elected to field. India stepped in with two changes as Mohammed Shami and Suryakumar replaced Hardik Pandya and Shardul Thakur.

Devon Conway, watchful against Jasprit Bumrah, flicked Mohammed Siraj to a diving Shreyas. With Conway dismissed for nought and Shami’s first ball in the current World Cup forcing Will Young to drag one onto his stumps, New Zealand needed an alliance.

The situation could have become worse but in a rare episode of Ravindra dropping Ravindra, Jadeja grassed Rachin, when the latter was on 12 while Shami rued his bad luck. A partnership emerged between Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell with the highlight being their massive sixes off Kuldeep Yadav. The pair survived vociferous appeals and bonded for more than 20 overs.

Mitchell, had his lucky break on 69 with Bumrah dropping him off an aggrieved Kuldeep. The 159-run third-wicket alliance concluded when Ravindra (75) holed out in the deep off Shami. Kuldeep then trapped New Zealand skipper Tom Latham while Mitchell cruised towards his hundred.

The centurion watched fickle companions leave as Shami clattered stumps. Mitchell (130, 127b, 9×4, 5×6) became Shami’s fifth victim (five for 54) as India kept the visitors under 300. It proved within reach as Kohli played the lead star.

Scoreboard

NEW ZEALAND: Devon Conway c Shreyas b Siraj 0 (9b), Will Young b Shami 17 (27b, 3×4), Rachin Ravindra c Gill b Shami 75 (87b, 6×4, 1×6), Daryl Mitchell c Kohli b Shami 130 (127b, 9×4, 5×6), Tom Latham lbw b Kuldeep 5 (7b, 1×4), Glenn Phillips c Rohit b Kuldeep 23 (26b, 1×6), Mark Chapman c Kohli b Bumrah 6 (8b), Mitchell Santner b Shami 1 (2b), Matt Henry b Shami 0 (1b), Lockie Ferguson run out 1 (5b), Trent Boult (not out) 0 (1b); Extras (b-3, lb-5, w-7): 15.

Total (in 50 overs): 273.

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-9 (Conway, 3.3 overs), 2-19 (Young, 8.1), 3-178 (Ravindra, 33.3), 4-205 (Latham, 36.5), 5-243 (Phillips, 44.2), 6-257 (Chapman, 46.6), 7-260 (Santner, 47.4), 8-260 (Henry, 47.5), 9-273 (Mitchell, 49.5).

INDIA BOWLING: Bumrah 10-1-45-1, Siraj 10-1-45-1, Shami 10-0-54-5, Jadeja 10-0-48-0, Kuldeep 10-0-73-2.

INDIA: Rohit Sharma b Ferguson 46 (40b, 4×4, 4×6), Shubman Gill c Mitchell b Ferguson 26 (31b, 5×4), Virat Kohli c Phillips b Henry 95 (104b, 8×4, 2×6), Shreyas Iyer c Conway b Boult 33 (29b, 6×4), K.L. Rahul lbw b Santner 27 (35b, 3×4), Suryakumar Yadav run out 2 (4b), Ravindra Jadeja (not out) 39 (44b, 3×4, 1×6), Mohammed Shami (not out) 1 (1b); Extras (lb-1, w-4): 5.

Total (for six wkts. in 48 overs): 274.

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-71 (Rohit, 11.1), 2-76 (Gill, 13.2), 3-128 (Shreyas, 21.3), 4-182 (Rahul, 32.1), 5-191 (Suryakumar, 33.5), 6-269 (Kohli, 47.4).

NEW ZEALAND BOWLING: Boult 10-0-60-1, Henry 9-0-55-1, Santner 10-0-37-1, Ferguson 8-0-63-2, Ravindra 9-0-46-0, Phillips 2-0-12-0.

Toss: India.

PoM: Shami.

India won by four wickets with two overs to spare.

The bright and sunny afternoon turned overcast 10 minutes before the scheduled start. Once the Asia Cup final finally got going 40 minutes late, a capacity crowd at the R. Premadasa Stadium had one eye on the sky, with a thunderstorm predicted to hit the Sri Lankan capital, on September 17.

While the dark clouds stayed away, the Siraj-storm struck Sri Lanka so hard that it literally blew the home team away. Riding on Mohammed Siraj’s sensational opening burst, India bundled out Sri Lanka for 50 in just 89 minutes.

It took India just 37 balls to overhaul the lowest team total in the Asia Cup’s four-decade history to seal an emphatic win and lift the trophy in style.

Minutes before the toss, when captain Rohit Sharma had a close look at the surface, sensing its dryness, he pointed to the dressing room with three spinners. It meant Washington Sundar, having been added to the squad in place of injured Axar Patel, was included in the XI.

But Washington virtually had no role to play in the game with India’s three pacers spoiling a Lankan band. The papare band hardly had a reason to cheer for the home team, with India’s pacers coming to the party right away.

Jasprit Bumrah struck off the third ball, thanks to K.L. Rahul stretching to his left to accept an edge off Kusal Peera’s willow. Siraj started off with a maiden to Kusal Mendis but the Hyderabad hurricane was unstoppable in his second over.

The fourth over saw Siraj sealing the fate of the game by picking four wickets. The pacer landed the ball in the perfect channel, and bowled perfect outswingers at will. He also jagged the ball occasionally to leave Sri Lanka batters dumbfounded.

Pathum Nissanka (caught by a lunging Ravindra Jadeja at point), Sadeera Samarawickrama (beaten on inside-edge to be adjudged lbw), Charith Asalanka (caught at covers by Ishan Kishan) and Dhanajaya de Silva (caught behind off an outswinger) all fell prey to Siraj’s masterclass.

De Silva, despite saving a hat-trick with a flick off the fifth ball, perished off the next. Siraj returned in the next over to straighten up captain Dasun Shanaka to uproot his off-stump to complete his maiden ODI five-wicket haul in just 16 balls.

At 12 for six, the writing was on the wall. In his extended spell of seven over, Siraj added Kusal Mendis’ wicket, with the batter missing a wild heave to be bowled. Hardik Pandya then wound up the tail even before the spinners came into any real action. That Kuldeep Yadav could bowl a solitary over and only two Sri Lanka batters reached double-digit scores underlined India’s pace pack’s domination.

Rohit preferred to let Ishan Kishan have a hit in the middle along with in-form Shubman Gill. And the duo hardly dropped guard, with Kishan tapping the first ball of the seventh over to long-off for a single to complete the formalities just 27 minutes into the innings.

Scoreboard

Sri Lanka Innings: Pathum Nissanka c Ravindra Jadeja b Siraj 2 Kusal Perera c Rahul b Bumrah 0 Kusal Mendis b Siraj 17 Sadeera Samarawickrama lbw b Siraj 0 Charith Asalanka c Ishan Kishan b Siraj 0 Dhananjaya de Silva c Rahul b Siraj 4 Dasun Shanaka b Siraj 0 Dunith Wellalage c Rahul b Hardik Pandya 8 Dushan Hemantha not out 13 Pramod Madushan c Kohli b Hardik Pandya 1 Matheesha Pathirana c Ishan Kishan b Hardik Pandya 0 Extras: (LB-2, W-3) 5

Total: (10 wkts, 15.2 Overs) 50

Fall of Wickets: 1-1, 2-8, 3-8, 4-8, 5-12, 6-12, 7-33, 8-40, 9-50, 10-50.

Indian bowling: Jasprit Bumrah 5-1-23-1, Mohammed Siraj 7-1-21-6, Hardik Pandya 2.2-0-3-3, Kuldeep Yadav 1-0-1-0.

India Innings: Ishan Kishan not out 23 Shubman Gill not out 27 Extras: (LB-1) 1

Total: (0 wkts, 6.1 Overs) 51

Sri Lanka bowling: Pramod Madushan 2-0-21-0, Matheesha Pathirana 2-0-21-0, Dunith Wellalage 2-0-7-0, Charith Asalanka 0.1-0-1-0.

Having already sealed a place in the final, India will be tempted to test their fringe players when they face an already knocked out Bangladesh in a Super Four match of the Asia Cup in Colombo on September 15.

The Rohit Sharma-led outfit will think deep whether to give as much game time as possible to its first-choice team or give an opportunity to some of the fringe players ahead of the World Cup at home next month.

The question of workload management is pertinent particularly in the case of bowlers.

Jasprit Bumrah has bowled just 12 overs so far in the Asia Cup — five against Pakistan and seven against Sri Lanka. He did not play against Nepal.

So, it could boil down to Bumrah’s choice whether he wants to have a crack at batsmen in one more match or take a step back and return for the summit clash on September 17.

On the other hand, Mohammed Siraj has bowled 19.2 overs and Hardik Pandya 18 overs in this tournament.

It might not appear heavy numbers but the humidity in Colombo has been energy-sapping, so the team management might just give a break to one of them.

In that context, it would not be a major surprise if Shami replaces Siraj against Bangladesh.

It will also help the senior pacer to register some valuable real-match time under his belt before the quadrennial big bash, starting October 5.

It is important because Shami has now been used as a back-up seamer behind Bumrah, Siraj and Pandya.

But the dwindling bowling graph of Axar Patel will concern the thinktank as he has been marked as a cover for Ravindra Jadeja.

The left-arm spinner has neither been able to take wickets and contain the run-flow, an area where Jadeja excels.

Axar has played seven ODIs this year, and managed to take only three wickets and his economy is hovering around six. He will need a significant lift in his game, and immediately too! KL Rahul’s return to full fitness has straightened a lot of creases for the team management. He has batted with fluency and kept wickets with agility here.

After the match against Sri Lanka, Rahul had spoken at length about the role clarity given to him by the team management, that he would be India’s premier wicket-keeper-cum-middle-order batsman.

So, it can be assumed that Rahul is all set to continue his duty against Bangladesh as well.

But Shreyas Iyer’s fitness will be keenly watched as he missed the Super 4 matches against Pakistan and Sri Lanka with back spasm.

However, Shreyas batted and bowled at nets on Thursday without any visible discomfort, and that should come as a pleasing development for the team.

But if the management wants to give some extra time for the Mumbaikar to recuperate, they can weigh their options between Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav.

While has Kishan has been impressive in ODIs so far, Suryakumar’s numbers were quite disappointing in the format.

Despite that, Suyakumar has been viewed as an important cog in India’s white ball establishment, and the thinktank would want to give another chance for him to push his case.

When it comes to the Bangladesh camp, they will not have the services of wicketkeeper batsman Mushfiqur Rahim for this match.

Rahim had flown back home after their Super 4 match against Sri Lanka, which they lost by 21 runs.

In the absence of Rahim, Litton Das is expected to keep wickets.

However, their captain Shakib al Hasan has rejoined the team after returning home to spend some time with his family.

Teams:

India: Rohit Sharma (captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumraj, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna.

Bangladesh: Shakib Al Hasan (captain), Anamul Haque Bijoy, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Afif Hossain Dhrubo, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Nasum Ahmed, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Naim Sheikh, Shamim Hossain, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Tanzim Hasan Sakib.

Match starts at 3 PM IST.

Rohit Sharma plays a shot during the Asia Cup 2023 super 4 match against Sri Lanka in Colombo on September 12, 2023.
| Photo Credit: AP

India captain Rohit Sharma on September 12 became the sixth batter from his country and 15th overall to complete 10,000 ODI runs. Rohit achieved the feat during India’s Asia Cup Super 4 contest against Sri Lanka here.

The India skipper hit a six off Sri Lanka’s Kasun Rajitha to complete the milestone in the seventh over of the innings, a day after Virat Kohli became the quickest ever batter to cross 13,000-run landmark in a record 267 ODI innings.

In fact, Rohit completed his 10,000 runs in 241 innings, which is second fastest ever after Kohli did so in 205 innings.

The other Indians in the 10,000-run club are Sachin Tendulkar (18,426 runs), Virat Kohli (13,026), Sourav Ganguly (11,363), Rahul Dravid (10,889) and MS Dhoni (10,773).

As the only player in the history to have hit three double centuries in 50-overs cricket, Rohit also holds the record of most runs in an innings — or the highest individual score — 264 against Sri Lanka at Eden Gardens in November 2014.

Rohit recorded his first ODI double ton against Australia in November 2013 when he scored 209. Four years later, he smashed another double ton against Sri Lanka — 208 not out at Mohali in December 2017.

With 30 centuries so far, Rohit is at joint-third with former Australia captain Ricky Ponting for hitting most ODI hundreds.

He is also third in the list of batters with most sixes in the format.

Sri Lanka’s Dunith Wellalage celebrates after an Indian wicket during the Asia Cup 2023 super 4 match against India in Colombo on September 12 , 2023.
| Photo Credit: ANI/ICC Twitter

After opting to bat first, India were bundled out for 213 during the Asia Cup 2023 super 4 match against Sri Lanka in Colombo on September 12.

Rohit Sharma (53) and Shubhmn Gill (19) gave India a bright start but after the dismissals of Gill, Kohli and Rohit, Indian batsmen could not withstand the bowling from Sri Lankan spinners. The pitch did offer some turn for the home team.

Virat Kohli (3) was dimissed quickly. After the dimissal of Rohit Sharma, K.L. Rahul (39) and Ishan Kishan (33) offered some resistnce in the middle overs.

Indian captain Rohit Sharma scored a brilliant half-century and during the course he completed 10,000 ODI runs. He became the second fastest to reach the milestone behind Virat Kohli.

Dunith Wellalage troubled the Indian batsmen with his turn and finished at 5 for 40.

This is the first time India have lost all their wickets to spinners. On the other hand, Sri Lanka had dismissed their opponents inside 50 overs for the 14th consecutive time.

Teams:

India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (wk), Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj.

Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis(wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha and Matheesha Pathirana.

Skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli take a rest during a practice session ahead of the Super Fours match against Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2023, at R. Premadasa Stadium, in Colombo.
| Photo Credit: ANI

Nuwan Senaviratne was the most sought-after member of the contingent by India’s batters over the last three two days. The left-arm throwdown specialist has been relentlessly trying all his angles and variations while trying his best to let the ball be released as similar to a lanky Pakistan left-arm pacer.

It’s understandable since Shaheen Shah Afridi has been the nemesis of the majority of top-order batters over the last few years. India is not an exception, with Afridi leading the Pakistan pace trio during the abandoned Asia Cup preliminary stage clash over the last weekend.

Cut to Sunday, weather permitting, Afridi’s duel against Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Co. is set to be revived, at the R. Premadasa Stadium.

No wonder then that all the India batters over the last couple of training sessions have been eager to have a bat against Senaviratne’s left-arm throws during India’s nets. All the top-order batters faced Nuwan on Friday night under lights.

With Saturday being an optional nets day, of the seven squad members who turned up — three batters who are set to feature in the XI had a go against Nuwan.

Shubman Gill, K.L. Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja had long stints against the left-armer, with head coach Rahul Dravid keeping a close eye on the proceedings. It will be interesting if India’s batters can actually find answers to the Afridi riddle on Sunday.

With the provision of a reserve day, an abandonment is all but ruled out, especially with the game to be continued on Monday from the point of suspension of Sunday. But India will be hoping to conquer Afridi and Co. and take a giant leap towards booking a place in the final.

Despite the debate over the wicketkeeper-batter’s slot, Rahul is set to be preferred for the role, thus marking his return to competitive cricket since May. Ishan Kishan, despite playing a stellar role, is set to make way for him.

Similarly, Mohammed Shami is again likely to miss out with Jasprit Bumrah having rejoined the squad after the birth of his son. Besides these two changes, India is unlikely to tinker around with its team that overcame Nepal last weekend in Pallekele.

Pakistan, on the other hand, will be eager to virtually qualify for the final with a win against India. Having thumped Bangladesh in the Super Four opener in Lahore earlier in the week, Babar Azam’s army is hoping to get India under the mat.

Potent attack

It will be interesting to see how the Pakistan batters fare — especially in a shortened game — against India’s potent bowling attack.

While the fans will be hoping for a full game, it is set to be a stop-and-start day. According to the weather report issued by Sri Lanka’s Department of Meteorology, “several spells of showers” are expected throughout Sunday.

The fans will be hoping for the dark clouds to dodge the Khettarama area to watch the rivalry to be truly revived ahead of the World Cup.

Teams

India: Rohit Sharma (captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumraj, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna.

Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Haris, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir (travelling reserve).