Asia Cup: India plunge into quicksand

PTI

Dubai, September 6

Defending champions India went perilously close to elimination after a six-wicket defeat to Sri Lanka in their Super 4s match of the Asia Cup here today.

The result left the Men in Blue at the mercy of the other teams to have a chance of making it to the final. It also meant that India skipper Rohit Sharma’s scintillating 41-ball 72 went in vain as the islanders completed a chase of 174 with a ball to spare.

Needing 21 in 12 balls, Sri Lanka scored 14 runs off the penultimate over bowled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, almost sealing it in their favour.

India will be out of the tournament if Pakistan beat Afghanistan on Wednesday.

Chasing what looked like a par score at the innings break, the Sri Lankans were off to a blazing start with openers Kusal Mendis (57 off 37 balls) and Pathum Nissanka (52 off 37 balls) putting on 91 runs.

The fifty was up in the sixth over with both the batters regularly finding gaps and boundaries with consummate ease, putting tremendous pressure on the Indian bowling attack that looked clueless against the positive approach adopted by the two Lankan batters. However, leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal had other ideas as he struck twice in the 12th over to put the brakes on Sri Lanka’s march.

Brief Scores: India: 173/8 in 20 overs (Sharma 72, Yadav 34; Madushanka 3/24); Sri Lanka: 174/4 in 19.5 overs (Mendis 57, Nissanka 52; Chahal 3/34). — PTI

Avesh out, Chahar in

New Delhi: Pacer Avesh Khan has been ruled out of the remainder of the Asia Cup due to fever-related illness, a senior BCCI official confirmed the development today. Seamer Deepak Chahar, who was in stand-bys for the tournament, has been drafted in.”Avesh has fever and he has also got sinus-related problems which has escalated post illness,” a BCCI source said.

Raina calls it a day

New Delhi: India batter Suresh Raina today announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, a move that makes him eligible to compete in overseas T20 leagues. “It has been an absolute honour to represent my country & state UP. I would like to announce my retirement from all formats of cricket,” Raina tweeted.

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