The Indian cricket team thumped Sri Lanka in the semifinal of the Asian Games 2026 men’s cricket and registered a massive 124-run victory.
The win not only booked a place for India in the final but also added many records to the name of the team.
India’s victory was built around Ishan Kishan’s unbeaten 80 and a superb bowling display on a difficult surface. After India posted 169/7 in 20 overs, the bowlers ran through Sri Lanka’s batting line-up and dismissed them for just 45 in 9.5 overs.
Ishan Kishan rescues India after early setbacks
Sri Lanka won the toss and decided to bowl first, hoping to make the most of the conditions. India started positively, with young opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scoring 38 off 21 balls.
Sooryavanshi struck six fours and two sixes before his dismissal. However, India soon lost wickets, with Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson unable to make a big contribution.
At 87/4, India needed someone to take charge and Ishan Kishan stepped up. The left-hander played a crucial unbeaten knock of 80 from 46 balls, hitting four fours and five sixes.
His innings helped India recover from a difficult position and finish with 169/7 in their 20 overs. For Sri Lanka, Sahan Arachchige and Tharindu Ratnayake picked up two wickets each.
India bowlers run through Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka’s chase never really got going as India’s bowlers kept taking wickets at regular intervals.
Nuwanidu Fernando was the only Sri Lankan batter to cross the 10-run mark, scoring 15. The rest of the batting line-up struggled against India’s attack and the challenging conditions.
Axar Patel was the pick of the bowlers with 3/8. Jasprit Bumrah also made a big impact with 2/7 while Abhishek Sharma picked up 2/2. Washington Sundar completed the attack with one wicket for 18 runs.
Sri Lanka were eventually bowled out for only 45 in 9.5 overs, giving India a massive 124-run victory.
India set several T20I records
The result also gave India a new world record for the most 100-plus run wins in men’s T20Is. The victory was India’s 11th win by a margin of at least 100 runs in the format.
India’s 124-run winning margin is also the biggest in a men’s T20I semifinal or final. It went past India’s previous record of a 96-run victory over New Zealand in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 final in Ahmedabad.
Sri Lanka’s 45 all-out is their joint-lowest T20I total among Test-playing nations, matching West Indies’ score against England in Basseterre in 2019.
Sri Lanka also suffered five ducks in their innings, which is the joint-second-highest number of ducks in a T20I innings. Zimbabwe hold the record with six ducks against West Indies in 2010.
The defeat was Sri Lanka’s second-heaviest loss in men’s T20Is, behind their 134-run defeat against Australia in 2019. India, meanwhile, now move into the Asian Games final with plenty of confidence after another commanding display.