India vs Sri Lanka Asian Games Men’s T20I, 2026

OUT! BOWLED'EM! Abhishek Sharma wraps things up with a beauty, and Sri Lanka have been bundled out for just 45, in pursuit of 170. INDIA WIN BY 124 RUNS! This is the arm ball, full and on middle, skids through and angles in sharply. Binura Fernando gets cramped up in the crease and plays completely down the wrong line, as the ball goes through and crashes into the stumps. 3 wickets in 3 balls to seal the deal for the Men in Blue.

Binura Fernando is the last batter in for Sri Lanka.

OUT! STUMPED! Lightning-fast glovework from Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma also gets a wicket here. He tosses it up, full and on off, gets it to grip and turn away sharply. Chamika Karunaratne gets drawn forward and tries to drive it away but the ball spins past the outside edge, and he also loses his balance, dragging his back foot outside the crease. Samson collects and breaks the stumps in a flash. The square leg umpire raises his finger. India need just one wicket now.

Drinks Break! Disaster for Sri Lanka, and that is the third run out of this innings for them. They have been blown apart by a combination of sharp execution from the Indian bowlers and real brilliance in the field. India are almost there now, inching closer to confirming their ticket to the Gold Medal match. It's now just a matter of how quickly India can wrap this up. Vijayakanth Viyaskanth is the new man in at number 10.

OUT! RATNAYAKE IS RUN OUT! Third one of the innings, and Chamika Karunaratne has been involved in two of those. Abhishek Sharma drops it short, on off, Chamika stabs it out towards point. Tharindu Ratnayake sets off for a run, and his partner responds initially but then sells him down the river. He turns back, but it is too late by then. Tilak Varma picks up the ball, takes aim, and hits a bullseye at the bowler's end, with one stump to aim. India are two wickets away from the win now.

Flighted, full and around off, turns in. Tharindu Ratnayake has a swipe across the line but gets an inside edge through aquare leg for a run.

Floated, full and on off, Chamika Karunaratne pushes it towards cover for a single.

So just one over for Bishnoi. Abhishek Sharma to roll his arm over now.

FOUR! A welcome boundary! Washington Sundar gives this one some more air, full and around off. Tharindu Ratnayake gets his hands through the drive and cracks it through extra covers for a boundary.

Slows it up, shortish and on off, Tharindu Ratnayake opens the bat face and steers it to point.

Flighted, full and on off, turns away. Tharindu Ratnayake goes down for a blind sweep but misses.

Darts the arm ball, full and angling in, Tharindu Ratnayake fails to work it away and gets hit on the pads.

Floated, full and on leg, Tharindu Ratnayake tucks it to short mid-wicket.

Shorter in length, on middle, Chamika Karunaratne pats it down to long on for a single.

Short, flat, on middle, Tharindu taps it back to the bowler off the back foot.

Pushed through quicker, full and on off. Tharindu Ratnayake goes for a premeditated reverse sweep but gets nowhere near the ball.

Flatter delivery, short and on off, gets some extra bounce. Tharindu Ratnayake slashes at it but does not connect.

A googly, full and around off, turns away a bi. Tharindu Ratnayake tries to guide it late but misses.

Goes short, on middle, Chamika Karunaratne heaves it past mid-wicket for a single.

WIDE! Fires this one, full but down the leg again, Chamika Karunaratne misses his flick. Wided.

Flatter, short and on leg, skids through. Tharindu Ratnayake stays back and looks to clip it away but misses as the ball goes off his pads towards short third. Leg bye taken. There is also an appeal for LBW, but turned down.

Two wides! A googly, full but turning down the leg side. Chamika Karunaratne fails to glance it away, and Sanju Samson is also not able to collect it cleanly. A bye taken and a wide is given.

More spin deployed in the form of Ravi Bishnoi, who replaces Axar Patel.

Looped up, full and on middle, Tharindu Ratnayake defends it on the front foot.

A bit short, around off, Tharindu Ratnayake keeps it out to the off side.

Slows it up, full and on off, Tharindu Ratnayake tries to play it from the crease but gets beaten all ends up.

Flighted, full and on middle, Tharindu Ratnayake blocks it out.

The procession continues for Sri Lanka. The urgency is there to score runs, alright, but they have failed to account for the turn and bounce off the pitch. Tharindu Ratnayake is in at number 9.

OUT! TAKEN! Washington Sundar gets among the wickets as well. He floats it up, full and just around off, turning it away again. Wanuja Sahan changes his stance early and goes for the reverse sweep, but the ball bounces a bit more than he expected. It takes the outside edge and lobs up straight to first slip, where Abhishek Sharma makes no mistake. Sri Lanka are reeling at 33/7 now.

Turn and bounce! Tossed up, full and on off, grips and turns away, shooting up a bit as well. Wanuja Sahan gets drawn forward to block but gets beaten on the outside edge. Sanju Samson fails to collect it cleanly and parries it to first slip, where Abhishek grabs it.

That's the end of the Powerplay. Sri Lanka are tottering at 33/6. But a lot better was expected from them. This looks like a one-sided game now with India bossing it up. As the field spreads, Washington Sundar will continue.

Fires this one, full and on leg. Wanuja Sahan gets low and swipes it away to deep square leg for a run.

Drops it short, on middle, Wanuja Sahan stays back and pats it down the pitch.

Tossed up, full and around middle, turns in. Wanuja Sahan goes down for the sweep but misses as the ball lobs up off his pads and drops in front of first slip.

Flighted, full and on middle and leg, Wanuja Sahan tucks it to short mid-wicket.

Slows it up, full and on off, turns in sharply. Wanuja Sahan steps acoss to clip it away but misses and gets hit high on the pads.

Floated, full and on middle, Chamika Karunaratne works it off the inner half of the bat through square leg for a single.

Arm ball, full and on middle, angling in. Wanuja Sahan gets half-forward to defend but misses and gets hit on the pads. A slight appeal for LBW, but turned down.

Wickets are falling like nine pins here. Wanuja Sahan is the next man in.

OUT! NUWANIDU IS RUN OUT! After clubbing a couple of sixes, that's a really poor way to go. Full and flat, outside off. Fernando goes for the reverse sweep, getting it off the inside half, fine down to the left of Axar at backward point. Both batters set off for the run, but for some reason, Chamika stops and that forces Nuwanidu to retreat from halfway. But he's backing up too far and Axar relays it to Samson, who whips the bails off with ease. And honestly, there was no run there to begin with, but the coordination between the batters could have been a lot better regardless. It's spiralling badly for Sri Lanka now, 31 for 6, and needing 139 off 91 balls.

Beaten! Goes on with the arm, on a good length, outside the off stump line. Nuwanidu Fernando plays for the ball to turn back but it goes straight on and beats the outside edge.

SIX! Hit firmly! Into the slot, full on middle, Nuwanidu Fernando clears the front leg to make room for himself, brings his long levers to play and smokes it comfortably over the deep mid-wicket fence for half a dozen more runs.

Flatter, fuller, on middle, the top-spinner pushed through and Fernando blocks it off the front foot.

SIX! The first one of the chase. Outside off and full, Nuwanidu Fernando goes way across the stumps, fetches it from outside off and sweeps it over deep backward square leg. Gets the distance to sail it over the fence for a six.

WIDE! Fired down leg, on a good length. Nuwanidu Fernando misses the tickle.

Fullish on middle stump, and Karunaratne tucks it into the leg side towards mid-wicket, looking for a quick single, but the fielder closes in fast and the batters have to turn it down. A double wicket maiden for Axar Patel.

Drifting down the leg stump, on a length. Chamika Karunaratne looks to tuck it around the corner, but gets a thin inside edge. However, Samson is a bit late to react and the ball deflects off his gloves and drops down. That would have been another wicket had Sanju cling to it.

Sri Lanka lose half their side now. Chamika Karunaratne comes out to the middle.

OUT! CAUGHT BY SUNDAR! Another one bites the dust with Axar having two to his name now. Beautifully tossed up, drifting back into the right-hander and gripping with a bit of turn and bounce off the surface. Bandara goes down on one knee, committing fully to the slog sweep. He gets a massive top edge, and the ball sails high towards deep mid-wicket, where Sundar completes a comfortable catch. And within a blink, Sri Lanka have been reduced to 18/5.

Around off on a length, Bandara stabs it back at the bowler off the back foot.

Good length on leg stump, tailing in further with the angle. Bandara misses his flick completely, beaten on the inside edge, as the ball thuds into his front pad.

The Islanders are falling apart. Ashen Bandara walks out to bat.

OUT! TAKEN AT 45! Axar strikes now and India are completely over the Lankans now. Patel dishes out a full ball, landing it around middle and leg and gets some bounce on it. Sahan Arachchige goes down on a knee to sweep but gets a top edge and the ball bobbles straight towards Vaibhav Sooryavanshi stationed at short fine leg. Sri Lanka are 18/4, needing 152 runs from 101 balls.

Short and angled on the leg stump, Nuwanidu rides the bounce and clips it to mid-wicket.

JAFFA! That just took off from the runway! Hammers it on a length, outside off, nipping away just a touch, and this one skids on quicker than expected off the surface. Fernando looks to drive through the off side but is beaten all ends up by the extra bounce, on the outside edge. Sanju Samson times the leap to perfection to pluck it with his right hand. Sensational keeping from him.

Good length on middle and leg stump, Fernando clips this to the left of Sooryavanshi at deep backward square leg for a couple of runs.

Sizzling delivery from Bumrah! Short of a length, nipping back in very sharply with some bounce. Sahan Arachchige is cut in half as he looks to block it off the back foot, but the ball zips past the inside edge. Samson dives to his right but can only get a hand to make a half-stop. A bye taken.

FOUR! Off the leading edge! Moral victory for the bowler but crucial runs for the Lankans. Nips away off the crack, full on middle, Sahan Arachchige looks to flick it over the leg side, but gets a massive leading edge. The ball flies wide of short third and races away to the fence.

Spears in a full-length delivery, on off, Sahan presses forward and defends it down the pitch.

A length ball, around off, Fernando defends it off the back foot to cover.

Dragged back, on middle, Sahan Arachchige heaves it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

FOUR LEG BYES! More runs! Flatter delivery, full but down the leg side. Sahan Arachchige tries to swipe it away but misses as the ball goes close to the pads and past the keeper to the fine leg fence for a boundary. The replay shows that it actually did not hit anything, and Axar gets away with one as it was not given as a wide.

FOUR! Gets off the mark in style! Tossed up, full and around off. Sahan Arachchige leans onto the drive and creams it through covers for the first boundary of the chase.

Shorter in length and on off, Sahan Arachchige backs away and punches it to cover-point.

Sri Lanka in massive trouble here. Skipper Sahan Arachchige is the next man in.

OUT! CROOSPULLE IS RUN OUT! Brilliance in the field from the Indians, and Sri Lanka are falling apart badly now. Good length, outside off, gripping and turning away, and Fernando hangs back, guiding it late towards Bishnoi at backward point with an open face. He goes for a risky single. Croospulle is caught napping and has to scramble across, and crucially, he does not go for the dive, a decision that costs him. Bishnoi races in, picks up and fires in a direct hit at the batting end, finding just the one stump to aim at and nailing it in style. The replays confirm that the batter is short of his crease by a fair bit. Sri Lanka are 2/3, needing 168 runs.

WIDE! Down the leg side, fired on a length. Fernando goes for the sweep but misses.

Incredible opening over from Jasprit Bumrah. Spin from the other end as Axar Patel will share the attack.

Kicks up a bit, on a good length, around middle, Nuwanidu hangs back and steers it along the ground to deep square leg for a single.

Double delight for India. Nuwanidu Fernando comes out to the middle.

OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! That's a spectacular catch by Samson. The Indians are delighted and Bumrah has two to his name already. Fuller than the one before, outside off, nipping away just a touch, and Sohan de Livera pokes at it again, away from his body. The outside edge is thick, and the ball shoots low towards Samson's left. Samson commits to his right first, but quickly makes amends and pivots back the other way, and still manages to get his outstretched left hand under it to complete the catch. Sri Lanka have been rocked early as they are 0/2, needing 170 runs.

Beaten! Zips through the deck, nipping away with a bit of bounce, on a good length, outside off. Sohan de Livera loosely dangles the bat away from his body and is beaten all ends up.

Low full toss, outside off, driven away to the cover fielder.

Early blow for Sri Lanka. Sohan de Livera walks out to bat at number 3.

OUT! LBW! India strike early, and it is Bumrah who delivers the goods with the first breakthrough. An absolute ripper from Jasprit as he lands it on a fuller length and gets the ball shape in late, right in front of the stumps. Sineth Jayawardena is pinned in the crease and has an ugly swipe across the line. Gets beaten comprehensively on the inside edge and is struck on the back pad. A confident appeal is enough for the umpire to raise his finger. Dead straight and Sri Lanka are 0/1, chasing 170 runs.

Bumrah is right on the money! He attacks the stumps on a fuller length, Sineth Jayawardena plays off the back foot and blocks it to the off side.

Can't connect it cleanly. Binura spears in a full-length delivery, aimed at the off pole. Ishan clears the front leg, looking to swing it downtown but he cannot get underneath the ball and drills it off the toe end to long off for a single only. But 18 runs come off the final over and India finish on 169/7, a score that lets them carry real momentum into the break at the halfway stage.

Pitched fuller, around off, Sundar smashes it to the cover fielder and they hustle through for a quick single.

SIX! Top shot from Sundar. Full outside off, with pace taken off, and the ball grips after landing too. Sundar gets low on his knee, and drags this across the line with pristine timing, sending it sailing over the fence behind deep mid-wicket.

Good length ball, outside off, Ishan Kishan flat bats it to long off for a single.

WIDE! Slower bumper that bounces over the head height, and going down leg as well. Ishan lets it go through to the keeper. Wide called for height.

SIX! Goes the distance! Precious runs these for India. Full on middle and leg, sitting right in his wheelhouse. Ishan clears his front leg to swing across the line. The timing is only decent, but the power on the shot does the rest, and it just about sails over long on.

Pitched full and outside off, staying low and holding on the surface. Ishan mistimes the pull but powers it to wide deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

Last over to go. India in touching distance of 160. Even 170 looks possible if Kishan goes bang-bang. Binura Fernando will wrap it up.

On a length on the middle stump line, Sundar goes down on one knee, shaping for the reverse sweep, only to miss it completely and take it on the back leg. A loud appeal for LBW follows, but the umpire is unmoved.

A painful stay comes to an end for Dube. With 7 legal balls remaining, Washington Sundar is in at number 9.

OUT! CAUGHT SPECTACULARLY! The bowler cannot believe it, the batter cannot believe, standing in absolute disbelief. Full and tossed up outside off, and Dube goes after it, looking to drill this through the off side. He ends up getting it uppishly to the left of extra cover, where Arachchige flings himself full length to his left and plucks the ball out of thin air with an outstretched left hand. An absolute stunner from the Sri Lankan skipper.

Misses out once again! A let off, with both a caught behind and a stumping chance going begging. Good length, on off stump, and Dube charges down the track, looking to loft it across the line. The ball beats the inside edge, catches the front thigh pad, and deflects away to the left of the keeper, who cannot hold on to a tricky chance.

Beaten! Dropped on middle, on a length. It lands and spins away with bounce. Shivam Dube has a wild hoick, looking to go over the mid-wicket region but misses to connect completely.

Should have been two but Dube is a bit lethargic. Shortish, outside off, turning away, and Kishan hangs back to slap it uppishly away to the right of wide long off. The fielder fumbles slightly in the chase, and Kishan looks keen for the second, but Dube hesitates, and the batters settle for just the one.

FOUR! Just amazing batting! Fuller and at pace by Tharindu, on the stumps, Ishan Kishan is quick to change his stance and nails the reverse sweep over the short third fielder for a boundary. That brings the 150 up for India!

Tharindu Ratnayake will bowl the penultimate over.

Around off, on a length, guided off the back foot to short third.

In the air, but lands safely again. A length delivery that Kishan charges at, swinging hard across the line, losing one hand off the bat in the process as the ball grips away sharply. But luckily for him, the ball lands around mid off, with no fielder close by. One run taken.

Fired in on a good length at leg stump, and Kishan rocks onto the back foot, tugging the pull down in a hurry, finding the gap to the right of the deep midwicket fielder for a brace.

FOUR! Firmly struck! Dropped into the slot, full on middle, Ishan Kishan comes forward and absolutely hammers it down the ground, over the bowler's head for a cracking boundary.

Slightly full on the stumps, Dube flicks it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Full ball on middle, Kishan comes down the track and drives it firmly down to long on for a single.

A bit of yes and no, but no harm done! Fuller, on leg stump, and Dube looks to work it away into the leg side. He gets a thick inside edge, with the ball squirting away to the right of the keeper. Kishan senses a single and sets off, already halfway down, but Dube stays rooted at his end, and sends him back.

Short and on the middle and leg stump line. Kishan hangs back and whips it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Slides on the pads, on a fuller length, this is gently clipped behind square leg for a single.

IN THE AIR AND DROPPED! Fernando shells a chance off his own bowling, but that was a tough one to take. Fullish on off stump, spinning away sharply off the crack once again. Kishan comes charging down the track, looking to smash this across the line. He gets a thick outside edge, and the ball balloons straight up in the air, but the bowler under it fails to hang on, and a simple chance goes down. One run taken.

Geez, that's spun a mile! Lands it on one of the cracks, around off and full, and turns square away from the batter. Ishan pokes at it but gets beaten all ends up.

FIFTY FOR ISHAN KISHAN! In just 33 balls. In an important semifinal, with India in desperate need for runs, he has stepped up under pressure with a fine, fine knock. Good length, outside off, turning away, and this one's from around the wicket. Kishan comes dancing down the track and lofts it clean over the man at long off for a maximum.

Last 4 overs to go. India are still in a position to get to 160 but for that, these two, or at least one of them will have to bat till the end.

Tossed up, full and around off, Dube leans forward and drives it straight to the man at cover.

Oh, misses out on the freebie. Slips in a full toss, outside off, Ishan Kishan swings with all his might to pull it over the leg side but loses his shape and ends up mistiming it off the to end towards deep mid-wicket for a single. Kishan moves to 49!

Tight line on the stumps, a touch fuller, Ishan knocks it back to the bowler as he gets cramped up for space.

Dragged short on leg, Dube pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Pushed through, full on off, Kishan drives it to long off for a single.

From around the wicket, good length on leg stump, possibly drifting down leg as well, and Kishan misses his flick completely, with the ball rolling away off his front pad into the off side. There is a slight appeal for LBW, but turned down by the umpire.

Another one bites the dust and India are in serious trouble now. Sri Lanka have managed to pick wickets regularly denying any momentum to the Indians. Shivam Dube walks in at number 8.

OUT! STUMPED! Brilliant bowling from Nuwanidu. Fullish delivery, tossed up outside off, dipping late and turning away sharply, and Tilak pokes at it by lunging forward, but gets beaten comfortably on the outside edge. In doing so, his back foot drags outside the crease, and Livera is quick to whip the bails off. The replays confirm it, Tilak was just short of home. India have been reduced to 125/6 with 5 overs to go in the first innings.

Is Tilak stumped out? This looks touch-and-go. He did drag his back foot out marginally and he is found short of the crease as the keeper dislodges the bails off. OUT signalled.

Drops it full and on off, Tilak reaches out in front and employs the reverse sweep but finds the fielder at backward point.

Fullish, tossed up on middle and leg, and Tilak leans onto the ball, defending it off the outer half down to the right of the bowler.

Drifted into the batter, on a length, Ishan whips it down to the left of long on for a single.

FOUR! Dexterity at display! Short of a length, on the stumps, angling in, Ishan Kishan rocks back and nails the pull shot, into the deep backward square leg and deep mid-wicket gap for a cracking boundary.

SIX! WOWZA! That's a fine, fine hit. Full and tossed up on off stump, turning away, but Kishan reads it well, clearing his front leg and hoisting this one clean over the long on fence for a maximum.

Nuwanidu Fernando is brought into the attack now.

Brilliant fielding in the deep! Fuller and quicker, on off from around the stumps. Tilak Varma leans forward and crunches the drive to the right of the long off fielder. The fielder swoops to his right and makes a fine diving stop, certainly saving a boundary. Two runs taken.

Tilak Varma is in at number 7. India need to break free now as the run rate has dipped to just over 8 rpo.

OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! Axar fails to cash in on the promotion. Full and tossed up outside off, and this one grips before turning away sharply. Axar is lured into going after it and ends up in an ugly heave across the line by getting low on his knee. A thick leading edge is found, and the ball balloons straight up in the air, swirling briefly before Arachchige, moving a few steps to his right at cover, calmly pockets an easy chance. India are 112/5 in 13.5 overs.

Dropped short, on middle and leg, Ishan gets a bit rushed on the pull shot and hits it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Darts it onto the pads, on a length, Ishan whips it through the vacant mid-wicket region and they hustle back for the second run. Good running!

Overpitched, on off, Patel shimmies down the track and carves it to widish long off for a single.

Flatter and shorter, on leg, Ishan Kishan crouches a bit and pulls it to deep backward square leg for a single.

Short and outside off, turning away with bounce. Ishan looks to cut it late but ends up chipping it to the left of the short third fielder for a single.

FOUR! Into the gap! Fuller and stump-to-stump, Ishan reverse sweeps it to perfection and splits the short third and backward point gap for a boundary. Much-needed boundary for India.

Good length, just outside off, and this one turns away. Axar rocks back and punches it firmly down to long off for a single.

Full and outside off stump, Kishan comes down the track and drives the ball down to long off with just his bottom hand.

100 up for India in 12.2 overs. Fuller than a length on leg, Axar drags it wide of mid-wicket for a single.

Short outside off, knocked away to deep cover for a single.

Oh, this one bites back, grip, turn and bounce all at once. A good-length ball outside off, and it grips on landing before turning away sharply with extra bounce. Axar reaches for it away from his body and ends up poking it uppishly off the outer half of the bat, straight towards backward point.

Full and on leg stump, Kishan lunges and drills it down to long on for a single.

Shortish ball on middle and leg, gets big on Axar who pulls it down to deep backward square leg for a single.

Short and on middle and leg, whipped off the back foot to deep square leg for a single.

Full toss, outside off, driven away to long off for a single.

Short in length, on the leg stump, Ishan Kishan drags it off the back foot to deep mid-wicket for a single.

WIDE! Drifts one down leg on a length. Ishan goes for the pull shot but misses. Wided.

That was a tight over from the Sri Lankan skipper, whose figures read 2/19 in 3 overs. Lasith Croospulle is into the attack now. Another spinner for the Lankans.

Shorter than a length, outside off, Kishan cuts it wide of backward point for a single.

On a length, outside off, Patel hangs back and punches it wide of mid off for a single.

Shorter and around off, Ishan backs away and hammers it down to long off for a single.

Short again, outside off, Patel cuts it off the back foot to deep cover-point for a single.

Drifts in, short on middle and leg, Patel rocks back and knocks it back to the bowler.

Dropped short, on off, Axar hangs back and stabs it to covers.

Halfway reached. India are 88/4. The run rate is still decent enough but India will feel that they have lost one or two extra wickets. Sri Lanka, for their part, have done well to pick wickets regularly.

Too full, on leg, Axar Patel flicks it through mid-wicket for a single.

Fullish, on off, Axar Patel pushes it to mid off.

Axar Patel walks in to bat now.

OUT! TIMBER! That's a jaffa from Wanuja Sahan. This one lands on middle and turns away from the right-hander. Shreyas Iyer reaches out to it and looks to drive it but gets beaten on the turn as the ball rattles over the stumps. Wanuja has bowled an absolute beauty to get rid of the Indian skipper.

FOUR! That's a brilliant shot! Loopy, outside off, Shreyas Iyer moves forward and chips it over extra covers for a one bounce boundary.

Fullish, on off, Ishan Kishan drives it to cover for a single.

SIX! Ishan Kishan on a roll now! A half tracker that sits up to be hit, Ishan Kishan gets low and clatters it over deep mid-wicket for a biggie.

Drops it short, on off, Ishan Kishan pulls it through mid-wicket for a single.

Flatter, on off, Ishan Kishan cuts it to point.

Short, on off, Ishan Kishan slaps it to cover.

SIX! That's a huge six! Loopy, on off, Ishan Kishan moves forward, turns it into a half volley, and powers it downtown for a maximum.

A bit short, on off, Shreyas Iyer tugs it to mid-wicket for a single.

Vijayakanth comes into the attack now. Quicker, outside off, Ishan Kishan drives it to cover for a single.

A bit short, on off, Ishan Kishan tucks it to mid-wicket for one more.

Too full, on off, Shreyas Iyer knocks it to long on for a single.

Fullish, around off, Shreyas Iyer taps it to extra cover.

Flatter, outside off, Ishan Kishan chips it over mid off for a single.

Much fuller, on off, Shreyas Iyer taps it to cover. Ishan Kishan runs for a single but is sent back. The fielder has a shy at the bowler's end but misses. An overthrow allows the batters to collect a single.

Short, on leg, Ishan Kishan fends it to mid-wicket for a single.

Much fuller, outside off, Ishan Kishan drives it through extra covers for one more.

Fullish, on middle, Shreyas Iyer pushes it to mid on for a run.

Much fuller, on off, Ishan Kishan knocks it to wide of mid on for a single.

Fired in, on off, Ishan Kishan fends it to the off side.

With Sooryavanshi gone, Sri Lanka now have a real opportunity to tighten the screws and bowl a few quiet overs to slow the run rate down. India, meanwhile, need a steady partnership to rebuild, with two relatively fresh batters at the crease. Ishan Kishan is the new man in.

OUT! TAKEN! Sahan Arachchige returns and strikes again. The captain is making a strong impact. Loopy, outside off, with a bit of turn on it. Sooryavanshi comes dancing down the track, looking to loft this one away but ends up with a top edge instead. The ball balloons towards short third, where Sineth Jayawardena makes no mistake. Almost a carbon copy of the dismissal that accounted for Abhishek. Vaibhav falls after an entertaining innings, and India are 59/3 in 6.2 overs.

Flatter, on off, Shreyas Iyer knocks it to mid on for a single.

India are 58/2 at the end of Powerplay. Sahan Arachchige comes back into the attack now.

Much fuller, on off, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi knocks it to mid on.

SIX! What a shot that is! Back of a length, on off, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi rocks back and clatters it all the way over deep mid-wicket for a huge six. Unreal batting from the young kid.

A slower bouncer, on off, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi sways away from it.

That one stays low! Slightly down the leg side, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi looks to flick it but wears it on his pads.

Angling in, on leg, Shreyas Iyer tucks it to square leg for a single.

Fullish, on off, Shreyas Iyer pushes it to cover.

FOUR! Sooryavanshi is in some form! Fullish, outside off, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi stays in his crease and drills it powerfully through covers for a boundary. 50 comes up for India in just 5 overs. 15 runs off the over. 27 in the last two overs for India.

SIX! That is a lovely shot! Much fuller, on middle and leg, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi latches onto it and plunders it over long on as the ball sails into the stands.

FOUR! Innovative way to get a boundary! Loopy, on off, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi changes his stance and plays a reverse sweep over short third for a boundary.

Quicker, on off, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi looks to slap it past covers but edges it to short third.

The ball hits the helmet of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, and the physio comes out in the middle for the mandatory concussion tests. All fine now and we are good to continue...

A bit fuller than a length, on leg, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi looks to slog it aerially, but his head falls over and he gets completely off-balance. The ball pops up with some turn, deflects off his gloves and rams onto his helmet.

Flighted up, full and on leg, Shreyas Iyer knocks it to long off for a single.

FOUR! Back-to-back boundaries from Sooryavanshi! Fernando overcooks this one. It is a low full toss, outside off, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi latches onto it and drills it through the cover-point gap for yet another boundary.

FOUR! Sooryavanshi is not holding back! Back of a length, on off, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi stays in his crease and lofts it magnificently over mid off for a boundary. That was far from a bad delivery from Fernando, and this is an incredibly tough shot to execute, yet Vaibhav pulls it off to perfection.

Good length, on top of off, Shreyas Iyer pushes it to mid off for a run.

Slows it up, on off, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi drags it over mid-wicket for a single.

A bit fuller, on off, Shreyas Iyer pushes it to cover for a single.

Angling in, on off, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi tucks it to mid-wicket for a single.

Shreyas Iyer is the new batter in at number 4 with India in a bit of pressure. Also, time for pace as Binura Fernando comes into the attack now.

OUT! TIMBER! Tharindu Ratnayake strikes and that's a massive blow. That one kept low. Flatter, on leg, and it keeps a tad low while drifting into the batter. Sanju Samson tries to create room by backing away and looks to cut it but fails to get his bat down in time. The ball sneaks beneath his bat and rattles over the stumps. India are 24/2 after 3 overs.

Beauty! Turn and bounce, on off, Sanju Samson looks to punch it but misses. The ball just goes over the off pole. The keeper whips the bails off but Sanju Samson had kept his back leg inside the crease.

Much quicker, on leg, Sanju Samson punches it to cover.

FOUR! That's a brilliant shot! Loopy, on leg, Sanju Samson moves to his leg side and chips it over the cover region for a boundary.

Drops it short, on off, Sanju Samson rocks back and pulls it through mid-wicket for a brace.

No Ball! Tharindu Ratnayake loses control and bowls it outside the pitch. In fact, it lands on the other practice pitch and it will be a No Ball. Free hit to follow.

Interesting twist here, Ratnayake, who bowled right-arm off-break in the first over, switches to left-arm orthodox against the right-hander. He is one of those rare ambidextrous spinners capable of bowling both ways. Loopy, on leg, Sanju Samson looks to punch it but wears it on his pads. The ball rolls towards backward point. Dot.

Short, on leg, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi looks to flick it but wears it high on his pads. A stifled appeal for LBW but turned down.

FOUR! Through the gap! Short and wide, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi rocks back and cuts it magnificently in the gap through point for a boundary.

Shortish again, on leg, Sanju Samson tucks it to mid-wicket for a single and opens his account.

A bit short, on off, Sanju Samson punches it to cover.

Sanju Samson walks in at number 3.

OUT! TAKEN! Sahan Arachchige gets the big fish. He loops it up, a bit wider, on a shorter length. Abhishek Sharma makes room for himself, reaches out to it and looks to loft it over covers. The ball turns away and catches the outside edge of Abhishek Sharma's bat and lobs straight into the hands of Sineth Jayawardena at short third, who makes no mistake. India are 12/1.

SIX! First maximum of the game! Flatter, on leg, Abhishek Sharma moves to his leg side and powers it high and over long off for a huge six.

Sahan Arachchige to share the attack.

FOUR! Excellent from Sooryavanshi! A bit fuller, on off, drifting into the batter, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi takes a step forward and chips it over extra covers for a boundary.

Much fuller, on off, Abhishek Sharma flicks it to backward square leg for a single.

First runs for India! Slightly down the leg side, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi looks to flick it but the ball brushes his pads and rolls fine. They collect a leg bye.

Quicker, on leg, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi looks to play a reverse sweep but edges it back to the bowler.

A bit short, on off, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi punches it to cover.

Turn and bounce straightaway! Huge turn, outside off, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has a waft at it but misses.

Right then, we are done with the prematch formalities. The Sri Lankan players take their respective field positions now. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma open up for India. Tharindu Ratnayake has the new ball in hand and is raring to go. Let's play...

Time for the national anthems - We are all set for the action to begin. Both teams stride out in the middle and line up for their respective national anthems. It will be Sri Lanka's first, followed by the nation anthem of India.

Sri Lanka (Playing XI) - Lasith Croospulle, Sineth Jayawardena (On T20I debut), Sohan de Livera (WK) (On T20I debut), Ashen Bandara, Sahan Arachchige (C), Nuwanidu Fernando, Chamika Karunaratne, Wanuja Sahan (On T20I debut), Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Tharindu Ratnayake and Binura Fernando.

India (Playing XI) - Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Shreyas Iyer (C), Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi and Jasprit Bumrah.

In conversation with Sanju Samson - On focusing on the Gold Medal, Samson keeps it simple, saying the team will try their absolute maximum and give whatever they can towards the goal. On Indian cricket going from strength to strength, Samson feels this is pretty well known at this point, calling it an established fact how much Indian cricket has grown over the years. He credits constant effort behind the scenes, with the IPL playing a big role, but is quick to highlight domestic cricket as an equally important factor. He points to the consistent push to turn up and play domestic fixtures whenever possible, calling it the breeding ground for a lot of the talent coming through. He singles out the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the Vijay Hazare Trophy and the Ranji Trophy as strong grooming platforms, along with the Under-19 sides touring abroad every season, all of which he feels are producing a steady stream of cricketers for the country. On Virat Kohli's 86th international century in the first ODI against West Indies, Samson calls himself very fortunate to have someone like Kohli around. He says watching Kohli score runs, seeing how he practices and how he goes about playing for the country, remains a huge inspiration for players like him still in the national setup, and for everyone sharing the dressing room with him. He adds that the performances Kohli keeps churning out benefit the team in a real way, and admits he is genuinely happy to witness it all.

Massive update - We are hearing that Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is in for this one, with both Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson retained in the XI as well. That likely means Samson slots down to number three to accommodate him. And more interestingly, Arshdeep Singh makes way while Bumrah comes back into the side, leaving India with just him and Shivam Dube as their seam bowling options. So India have clearly gone with a batting-heavy lineup, leaving the spinners to shoulder the bulk of the bowling load. We will have both playing XIs for you shortly, so stay tuned.

TOSS - It's time for the coin to go up in Nisshin. Both captains - Shreyas Iyer and Sahan Arachchige - are out in the middle, with the team sheets exchanged. Shreyas flicks the coin, and Sahan calls it correctly. Sri Lanka have opted to BOWL first.

Conditions and combinations - The sun is trying to break through the clouds here in Nisshin, and it looks like the worst of the weather is behind us. Expect a full 20-over contest from here on. For India, the first question remains the same, who plays and who doesn't. Jasprit Bumrah sat out the one-off T20I against Japan a couple of weeks back, so he should walk back into the XI fresh and firing. Sooryavanshi's inclusion is also one to watch out for this time around. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, bring a fair share of unknown quantities into this one, though there are several experienced heads in the side as well. That lack of familiarity could still work in their favour against an Indian side that has clearly struggled against spin on turning surfaces.

A medal confirmed - The first semifinal between Pakistan and Bangladesh was trimmed to 13 overs a side, and it is Sahibzada Farhan's men who have come out on top, chasing down 112 with six wickets to spare. That result books Pakistan a place in the Gold Medal match and guarantees them at least a medal. Up next for them in the final will be either India or Sri Lanka. Bangladesh, on the other hand, are not out of medal contention just yet, and they will have to fight it out for Bronze. Their opponent in that playoff will be decided by the loser of this second semifinal.

Weather watch and race to the final - Overcast clouds are still hovering over Nisshin, which means powerplay execution and quick tactical adjustments will be crucial if overs get trimmed. Can the defending champions India cruise into another final, or will Sri Lanka rise to the occasion and spring a tournament shocker? Do not look away, the toss is coming up next!

Sri Lanka hunting for the upset - For Sahan Arachchige and his Sri Lankan side, discipline and patience are the orders of the day. They need to address their recent T20 batting stumbles by building solid middle-overs partnerships rather than relying on risky shots. Their bowling unit has plenty of tricks, and Sri Lanka will lean heavily on the slinging pace of Nuwan Thushara and the sharp spin of Vijayakanth Viyaskanth to strike early breakthroughs and choke India's run flow.

India aiming to hit top gear - After the rain-forced break, India must shake off any early rust and find their rhythm immediately. Explosive opener Abhishek Sharma and captain Shreyas Iyer need to dictate terms from the opening overs, ensuring the team puts up an imposing total even if damp conditions offer movement. With the ball, Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh will look to use the heavy atmosphere to attack the stumps early, giving Sri Lanka no room to settle into a rhythm.

Hello and welcome to Nisshin! We are in from the Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin for this high-stakes Asian Games Men's T20 semi-final between India and Sri Lanka. Both teams enter this clash without bowling a single delivery in their quarter-finals after persistent monsoon showers washed out the previous round, allowing each side to go through on their higher seeding. Now, the wait is over and the pressure is on, with a place in the gold medal match waiting for the winner!

... SEMIFINAL 2 ...

Place in the final - The Asian Games Men’s T20I competition reaches its semi-final stage with a high-profile clash between India and Sri Lanka at Korogi Sports Park, Nisshin. India enter the contest as the defending Asian Games champions, having won the gold medal at the 2023 Hangzhou Games. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have also progressed to the last four after rain washed out their quarter-final against Nepal. India's journey - India were scheduled to face Afghanistan in the second quarter-final, but persistent rain prevented the match from taking place. With no result possible, India advanced on the basis of their higher ICC T20I ranking. That means India have reached the semi-finals without playing a knockout match in the tournament. Their squad nevertheless contains considerable T20 experience, with Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Jasprit Bumrah among the major names. The batting unit gives India plenty of attacking options. Abhishek Sharma can provide explosive starts at the top, while Iyer and Tilak offer stroke-making ability through the middle order. The presence of Iyer also gives the side an experienced player capable of controlling an innings if early wickets fall. India's bowling attack is equally versatile. Bumrah provides world-class pace and experience, while Arshdeep Singh offers left-arm variety. Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Ravi Bishnoi give India several spin options. The challenge for Sri Lanka - Sri Lanka's quarter-final against Nepal was also abandoned because of rain, with Sri Lanka progressing as the higher-ranked side. Sahan Arachchige leads a Sri Lankan squad that includes Niroshan Dickwella, Ashen Bandara, Nuwanidu Fernando, Chamika Karunaratne, Nuwan Thushara, Binura Fernando, Dushan Hemantha and Vijayakanth Viyaskanth. Sri Lanka will need their experienced players to make an impact against India's deeper squad. Their bowling attack has the variety to challenge India's batters, particularly if conditions offer assistance to seam or spin. Nuwan Thushara and Binura Fernando provide different left- and right-arm pace options, while Viyaskanth and Hemantha add spin to the attack. All eyes on the weather - Rain has already had a major impact on the Asian Games men's cricket tournament. All four quarter-finals were abandoned, leaving the higher-ranked teams to progress automatically to the semi-finals. Consequently, weather remains an important factor heading into the India-Sri Lanka encounter. The tournament has also confirmed an unusual consequence if the men's final is washed out, with no reserve day, the two finalists would share the gold medal. Form (Last 5 completed T20Is, most recent first) - IND - WWWWW | SL - LLLLW. What to expect? This semi-final brings together two sides that have reached the knockout stage without completing their quarter-final matches because of persistent rain. India have the advantage of extensive T20 experience throughout their squad, while Sri Lanka possess enough bowling variety and experienced players to make the contest competitive. The biggest uncertainty is likely to be how much cricket the weather allows. If a full 20-over game is possible, the match should provide a fascinating examination of India's batting depth against Sri Lanka's varied bowling attack. If rain reduces the contest, adaptability and powerplay execution could become even more important.