Abhishek Sharma smashes records as India defeats Sri Lanka in Super Over thriller

Historic Achievements by Abhishek Sharma

The 25-year-old opener achieved multiple milestones during his explosive 31-ball 61 against Sri Lanka at Dubai International Stadium. Abhishek became the highest run-scorer in a single T20 Asia Cup edition with 309 runs, surpassing Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan (281 runs in 2022) and India's Virat Kohli (276 runs in 2022). This marked his third consecutive fifty in the Super 4 stage, maintaining a remarkable strike rate of 204.64 throughout the tournament.

His consistency has been extraordinary, matching the record of seven consecutive 30+ scores in T20 internationals alongside Mohammad Rizwan and Rohit Sharma. Additionally, Abhishek achieved the feat of scoring 50+ runs in 25 or fewer balls for the sixth time in T20Is for India, joining an elite group with captain Suryakumar Yadav leading this particular record with seven such instances.

Abhishek also became the first batsman to hit 50 boundaries in the T20 Asia Cup, smashing 31 fours and 19 sixes throughout the tournament. This remarkable achievement showcases his aggressive batting approach that has defined India's campaign.

India's Unbeaten Super Over Record Continues

India extended their perfect record in T20 tiebreakers, winning their seventh consecutive Super Over/Bowl Out encounter. The Men in Blue remain the only team in world cricket never to lose a T20 tiebreaker, having won six matches via Super Over and one through a Bowl Out since their first tie match against Pakistan in 2007.

In Friday's Super Over, Sri Lanka managed only 2 runs for 2 wickets in five balls bowled by Arshdeep Singh. Captain Suryakumar Yadav sealed the victory by scoring three runs off the first ball from Wanindu Hasaranga.

Kuldeep Yadav Creates Bowling History

India's spin wizard Kuldeep Yadav scripted his own piece of history by becoming the highest wicket-taker in a single T20 Asia Cup edition. With 13 wickets in six innings, he surpassed UAE's Amjad Javed (12 wickets in 2016) to claim the record. His economical bowling throughout the tournament, maintaining an economy rate of 6.04, proved crucial in India's unbeaten run.

Sri Lanka's Spirited Fight Back

Despite the loss, Sri Lanka produced several memorable performances. Pathum Nissanka scored a brilliant maiden T20I century (107 off 58 balls), becoming only the third batsman to achieve this feat in T20 Asia Cup history after Hong Kong's Babar Hayat (2016) and India's Virat Kohli (2022).

Nissanka's partnership with Kusal Perera yielded 127 runs for the second wicket, creating the highest partnership for any wicket in T20 Asia Cup history, surpassing the previous best of 119 runs between Virat Kohli and KL Rahul in 2022. The century also gave Nissanka the record for most 50+ scores in T20 Asia Cup with five half-centuries, overtaking Virat Kohli's tally of four.

Tournament Records and Milestones

India's total of 202/5 became the second-highest score in T20 Asia Cup history and the highest in the 2025 edition. The defending champions have now won six consecutive matches heading into Sunday's final against Pakistan, maintaining their dominance throughout the continental championship.

The match featured multiple records including India making their second 200+ score in Asia Cup T20 history, with their highest being 212/2 against Afghanistan in 2022. This encounter also marked the first T20 Asia Cup match to end in a tie, adding another historic dimension to an already record-laden tournament.

With both teams reaching Sunday's final, cricket fans can expect another thrilling encounter as India seeks to defend their title while Pakistan aims to end their opponent's perfect tournament record in what promises to be a classic India-Pakistan showdown.