India have already booked their place in the Asia Cup 2025 final, while Sri Lanka are out of the race. On paper, Friday’s clash in Dubai may be a dead rubber, but anyone who has followed India vs Sri Lanka knows there is rarely such a thing as a meaningless game between these two. Pride, momentum, and individual milestones are all on the line when these sides square off under the lights at the Dubai International Stadium.
India: Bench Strength in Focus
For India, the real intrigue lies in their team selection. Captain Suryakumar Yadav and coach Gautam Gambhir have shuffled the batting order throughout the tournament, keeping everyone guessing. Sanju Samson has floated up and down, sometimes not even batting, while Rinku Singh and Jitesh Sharma are yet to feature. This game offers India a chance to test their reserves without compromising rhythm ahead of the final.
One player who should absolutely not be rested is Abhishek Sharma. The left-hander has been India’s biggest revelation of the tournament, smashing 248 runs at a staggering strike rate of over 200. Twice he has threatened a century, and his fearless starts are reshaping India’s T20 approach. Alongside him, Kuldeep Yadav has been the standout bowler with 12 wickets, making India look like a complete package.
Sri Lanka: Pride on the Line
For Sri Lanka, it’s been a campaign of frustration. Two Super Four defeats — against Bangladesh and Pakistan — sealed their fate early. Batting collapses and inconsistent bowling have hurt them, but they still have the talent to challenge.
Captain Charith Asalanka, the reliable Kusal Mendis, and the ever-dangerous Wanindu Hasaranga will want to end on a high. Hasaranga, especially, could relish the slow Dubai track where his variations become even more lethal. For Asalanka, there’s also a milestone within reach: he needs 8 fours to complete 100 T20I boundaries.
Head-to-Head Record
India and Sri Lanka have played 32 T20Is against each other. India lead comfortably with 21 wins, while Sri Lanka have managed 9 victories. Two matches have ended inconclusively.
In Dubai, the two sides have met just once before in T20Is — during the Asia Cup 2022 Super Four, where Sri Lanka won by six wickets after chasing down India’s total.
Pitch and Conditions
The Dubai surface has progressively slowed down during the tournament. Early swing with the new ball is a possibility, but scoring gets tougher as the innings progresses. Spinners find grip, and pacers need to rely on cutters and variations. Under lights, chasing tends to be easier, so expect the toss-winning captain to bowl first.
Form Guide (last 5 T20Is)
- India: WWWWW
- Sri Lanka: LLWWW
Players to Watch
- Abhishek Sharma (India): Tournament’s breakout star, redefining India’s powerplay batting.
- Kuldeep Yadav (India): Leading wicket-taker, thriving with guile and control.
- Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka): Sri Lanka’s biggest hope, miserly and dangerous on slow tracks.
- Dasun Shanaka (Sri Lanka): Experienced finisher who has both runs and wickets against India.
Probable XIs
India: Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Sanju Samson (wk), Rinku Singh/Jitesh Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh.
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kusal Perera, Charith Asalanka (c), Dasun Shanaka, Kamindu Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne/Kamil Mishara, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara.
Key Stats and Records
India:
- Played 13 T20Is in Dubai: 9 wins, 4 losses.
- Abhishek Sharma: 248 runs in Asia Cup 2025, SR 206.66.
- Kuldeep Yadav: 12 wickets in 5 games at 5.65 economy.
- Hardik Pandya: Needs 3 wickets for 100 in T20Is; also needs 4 sixes for 100 career sixes.
- Suryakumar Yadav: Needs 8 fours for 250 in T20Is and 2 sixes for 150 sixes.
Sri Lanka:
- Played 10 T20Is in Dubai: 6 wins, 4 losses.
- Dasun Shanaka: 430 runs vs India at 140.52 SR.
- Wanindu Hasaranga: 17 wickets vs India, best of 4/9.
- Kusal Mendis: Needs 21 runs to surpass Kusal Perera as Sri Lanka’s leading T20I run-getter.
- Charith Asalanka: Needs 8 fours to complete 100 T20I boundaries.
Records That Can Be Broken
- Sanju Samson: 70 runs shy of 1000 in T20Is.
- Tilak Varma: Needs 2 sixes for 50 career sixes.
- Hardik Pandya: On cusp of elite club with 100 wickets + 100 sixes in T20Is.
- Kusal Mendis: Can become Sri Lanka’s all-time leading run-scorer in T20Is.
Verdict
India will use this game to test their bench and fine-tune plans before the final. Sri Lanka, though eliminated, will fight to salvage pride and end their campaign with a win. For fans, it’s one more chance to watch Abhishek Sharma’s fireworks and Wanindu Hasaranga’s wizardry before the curtain comes down on the Super Fours.
