Asia Cup 2025: Pakistan’s win over Sri Lanka keeps India vs Pakistan final alive – Scenarios explained | Cricket News – The Times of India

NEW DELHI: The Asia Cup 2025 has reached its business end with only four matches left, including Sunday’s grand finale, and the race to the final remains wide open. After India and Bangladesh opened their Super Fours campaign with victories, Pakistan revived their hopes with a gritty five-wicket win over Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. The result has kept alive the tantalising prospect of yet another India vs Pakistan showdown — in the tournament final.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!For both Pakistan and Sri Lanka, who had lost their opening Super Four fixtures, Tuesday’s clash was a do-or-die affair. Pakistan’s bowlers set the tone by restricting Sri Lanka to 133/8 on a featherbed pitch. Despite a strong 45-run opening stand, the chase turned tense at 80/5 before Mohammad Nawaz (38* off 24) and Hussain Talat (32* off 30) stitched together a 58-run partnership to see their side home with 12 balls to spare.

The win propelled Pakistan to second place in the Super Fours table, level on two points with India and Bangladesh but ahead of the latter on net run rate. India sit atop with +0.689, Pakistan follow with +0.226, and Bangladesh slip to third with +0.121. Sri Lanka, winless after two games, are staring at elimination.The equation now is clear: if India beat Bangladesh in Dubai on Wednesday, Sri Lanka will be knocked out and India will secure their place in the final. That scenario would leave Thursday’s Pakistan vs Bangladesh clash as a virtual semi-final, with the winner joining India in the summit clash.On the other hand, if Bangladesh upset India, the Super Fours battle will remain wide open, keeping alive the mathematical chances for all four teams. Pakistan and India would still need wins in their respective final fixtures to confirm qualification, while Bangladesh would be in pole position on four points but not yet guaranteed.With the standings delicately poised, Pakistan’s hard-fought victory has ensured that the possibility of a third India vs Pakistan clash in this Asia Cup — and a blockbuster final — is very much alive.