The Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav’s comments after the thrilling win against Sri Lanka raised fresh concerns over the fitness of some players ahead of the much-anticipated Asia Cup 2025 final against Pakistan on Sunday. The Super 4s clash on Friday in Dubai went down to the wire and was decided in the first-ever Super Over of the tournament’s history. While India held their nerve, the sight of a few players leaving the field midway gave the team management something to think about.
Hardik Pandya, who struck early by dismissing Kusal Mendis for a golden duck in his first over, had to walk off after completing that spell. Tilak Varma also limped away during the game and did not return to the field, forcing Rinku Singh and Jitesh Sharma to step in as substitutes.
Speaking afterwards, Suryakumar Yadav acknowledged that some of the boys had suffered from cramps and discomfort but he remained optimistic that the team would recover in time for the final. He stressed the importance of the upcoming rest day and expressed confidence that the players would regroup with full energy for the big clash against Pakistan. The captain also highlighted how the team had gained plenty of positives through the group stage and Super 4 matches and said that everyone was pleased to have reached the final.
Although Friday’s match was technically a dead rubber, it carried the intensity of a title decider. Sri Lanka, already eliminated from contention, played without pressure and gave India a fierce challenge. Pathum Nissanka was the standout performer for the Lankans, hammering a brilliant century that kept his side in the contest and exposed weaknesses in India’s bowling. Young pacer Harshit Rana, in particular, came under heavy fire from the opener.
Earlier India also put up a powerful batting display led by Abhishek Sharma. The in-form opener once again stole the spotlight with a dazzling 61 from just 31 balls, striking eight fours and two sixes. His explosive batting in the powerplay has been the hallmark of India’s campaign and in this game, it gave the side both momentum and their highest team total of the tournament.
Abhishek’s consistency has been one of the biggest positives for India, providing a strong foundation as they now head into the final with belief and confidence.
