India failed to defend respectable totals in two consecutive games in the Asia Cup, and the country is on the verge of being eliminated from the continental competition’s Super 4 Stage. They failed to successfully defend 173/8 against Sri Lanka on Tuesday night after failing to successfully defend 181/7 against Pakistan on Sunday. India’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar gave up 19 runs in the 19th over of the match with Pakistan. He let up 14 runs in the 19th over in the Sri Lanka game.

Both performances significantly reduced India’s chances of winning the respective games.

Ravi Shastri questioned Mohammed Shami’s removal from India’s selection before their Asia Cup match against Sri Lanka. Ravi Shastri, the former coach of the Indian cricket team, claimed the side needed at least one more good bowler after the defeat to Sri Lanka. Mohammed Shami was not selected, whilst Jasprit Bumrah missed the Asia Cup due to injury.

“When you need to win, you got to prepare better. I think the selection could have been better, especially for the fast bowlers, you know the conditions here. There wasn’t much for the spinner. I was quite surprised that you came here with just 4 fast bowlers. You needed that extra one. Someone like Mohammed Shami sitting at home and cooling his heels, baffles me. After the IPL he had, for him not to be able to make the cut is, obviously, I am seeing something different,”

Ravi Shastri said on Star Sports

“There should have been one extra fast bowler. One spinner less in the 15-16. You don’t want to be caught in a situation where one guy has a fever and then you have no one else to play with. You have to play another spinner which can be embarrassing in the end,”

he stated further

The Sri Lankans got off to an explosive start in the game, putting on 91 runs at a quick clip as openers Kusal Mendis (57 off 37 balls) and Pathum Nissanka (52 off 37 balls), chasing what appeared to be a par target at the innings break.

The fifty was reached in the sixth over thanks to both batsmen’ consistent and effortless hitting of the gaps and boundaries, which put a lot of pressure on the Indian bowling attack, which struggled to adjust to the two Lankan hitters’ optimistic batting style.

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However, leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal had other ideas as he struck twice in the 12th over to put the brakes on Sri Lanka’s march.

Ravichandran Ashwin sent back Danushka Gunathilaka (1) to leave Sri Lanka in a spot of bother at 110 for three in the 14th over.

In the first ball of the next over, Sri Lanka suffered a body blow as Chahal got the big wicket of Mendis, who was trapped lbw in front of the wicket.

However, Sri Lanka’s captain Dasun Shanaka (33 not out) and Bhanuka Rajapaksa (25 not out) persevered until the end, winning the match with a 64-run fifth-wicket stand.