India crushes Sri Lanka by 124 runs to set up Asian Games final against Pakistan

NEW DELHI: India produced a dominant all-round performance to crush Sri Lanka by 124 runs in the second men's cricket semifinal of the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya on Thursday, setting up a mouth-watering gold-medal clash against arch-rivals Pakistan on Saturday.

After posting 169/7 on a turning pitch, India tore through Sri Lanka's batting line-up with a devastating new-ball burst and bowled them out for just 45 in 9.5 overs. The defending champions' bowlers never allowed Sri Lanka to settle into the chase, with Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel and Abhishek Sharma leading the rout. Pakistan had earlier booked their place in the final after beating Bangladesh by six wickets in the rain-truncated first semifinal.

Bumrah, Axar set up Sri Lanka collapse

Defending 170, India made an explosive start as Bumrah struck twice in his opening over. A run-out in the second over added to Sri Lanka's problems, leaving them three wickets down almost immediately. Axar then tightened the screws in the fourth over, picking up two wickets to reduce Sri Lanka to 18/5. With the pitch offering considerable assistance to the spinners, the chase quickly turned into a procession.

Sri Lanka continued to lose wickets at regular intervals and had no answer to India's disciplined attack. Abhishek eventually completed the demolition job, taking two wickets in two balls to wrap up the innings at 45. The margin of victory underlined India's complete control of the semifinal and ensured the defending champions moved into Saturday's gold-medal match without having to face a serious challenge after the powerplay.

Kishan, Sooryavanshi rescue India

India had also been tested with the bat after Sri Lanka opted to bowl first. The turning conditions made stroke-making difficult, and Sri Lanka used spin almost exclusively during the early part of the innings. Abhishek Sharma fell for seven after hitting a six, while Sanju Samson was dismissed for seven by ambidextrous spinner Tharindu Ratnayake. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, however, provided the spark India needed. The 15-year-old smashed 38 from just 21 balls, peppering the Sri Lankan attack with trademark strokeplay before falling to Sahan Arachchige. His innings included six fours and two sixes and helped India reach 58/2 in the powerplay.

But wickets continued to fall, with captain Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel also departing as Sri Lanka's spinners kept the pressure on. It was left to Ishan Kishan to provide the finishing push. The left-hander remained unbeaten on 80 from 46 balls, attacking the spinners down the ground and finding the boundary regularly. Four of his sixes came between long-on and long-off, while he also struck four fours. Kishan's composed assault ensured India reached a competitive 169/7, a total that proved more than enough once Bumrah and the spinners got to work.

Pakistan await in gold-medal clash

India's reward for the comprehensive victory is a high-profile final against Pakistan on Saturday. The two sides will now meet with the Asian Games gold medal at stake, adding another chapter to their long-running sporting rivalry.

For India, the semifinal offered a reminder of their depth across both departments. Kishan and Sooryavanshi provided the impetus with the bat, while Bumrah's early strikes and Axar's double blow ensured Sri Lanka's chase never got going. The focus now shifts to the final, where India will look to complete their campaign with gold against Pakistan.