Arshdeep Singh performing under pressure in the Super Over against Sri Lanka can be attributed to meditation and yoga that he practices regularly.
The India-Sri Lanka match was cricket's retort to all those who belittled it, calling it inconsequential, irrelevant, and a meaningless clash, since Sri Lanka was already out of the tournament and India was through to the final.
This contest's result, decided through a Super Over, turned out to be the best match of Asia Cup 2025.
When two teams contest fiercely until the last ball and end up in a tie, one truly witnesses the splendour of this game.
Super Over Turns Super Easy Over
The Sri Lankans deserve a thumbs up for lifting their game, though the end result proved that India are the kings under pressure. This is why they could convert the Super Over into a super easy over.
To bowl a classic Super Over, one needs the skill to focus and stay calm. Arshdeep Singh possesses these two traits, a lot of that could be attributed to meditation and yoga that he practices regularly.
Jayasuriya On Momentum
Sri Lanka's Head Coach Sanath Jayasuriya, responding to my query on where Sri Lanka lost momentum, said: "(Pathum) Nissanka played a brilliant innings to reach that total, but unfortunately he got out to the first ball of the last over. Right throughout those 20 overs, he batted really well."
"It is not easy to chase a score of 200, as one has to hit boundaries and sixes all the time. The two (Nissanka and Kusal Perera) batted very well for a 100 run partnership, and that was the key," Jayasuriya added.
"The momentum was lost when we lost a few wickets, and that is natural because it happens when you are chasing a huge total. But it was a good game."
Behind Nissanka's Fighting Spirit
In these kind of games, the heroes are often those who have been hardened by life's experiences, which have turned them into fighters.
Pathum Nissanka, who scored a century and was rightly judged the player of the match, grew up the hard way.
His father worked as a ground boy with a meagre income, and his mother sold flowers near a temple. This proved that champions can blossom from the humblest beginnings.
Sri Lanka fought tooth and nail, what was different from the end result -- other than India winning another match -- was the many handshakes at the end.
Since the final between India and Pakistan may not witness handshakes, the spirit with which th two teams played this tense match should stand out as a model game.
When Does Ball Turn Dead?
The fourth ball of the Super Over, in which Arshdeep appealed for a caught-behind decision against Dasun Shanaka, and wicket-keeper Sanju Samson appealed for a run-out against the batsman, enlightened fans and even players on how a ball becomes dead the moment it is reviewed.
Many Indian fans felt that rule was silly, but Bangladesh Umpire Gazi Sohel deserves appreciation for calmly schooling the experienced Indian players as well as the Sri Lankan players, who were also unaware of it.
Samson's act of hitting the stumps looked like one hitting the pins in a bowling alley.
Match Referee Richardson On T20 pressure
The attitude of both teams before the start was 'nothing to lose, everything to gain.' Match Referee and former West Indies skipper Richie Richardson embodied this carefree, nothing-to-lose approach.
During his playing days, when I had asked him whether Twenty20 puts a lot of pressure on today's batters, he said: "Maybe for some, but for me it wasn't. It did not matter to me which format I played. Some players are very good at adapting, some are not."
It was sage advice with a touch of Caribbean swagger.
Baby Malinga And Electrolyte Level Test
Though Lasith Malinga retired in 2021, his hairstyle is still copied, not only by Sri Lankans but also by Indians. Indian fans now use the colours of the Indian flag on the hairpiece at games.
Nuwan Thushara, who opened the bowling for Sri Lanka on Friday and has a sling bowling action similar to Malinga, is called Baby Malinga or Podi Malinga (Little Malinga).
The hard-fought match on Friday makes one wonder if India really needed such a tough game before the final in this hot weather.
It left Hardik Pandya and Abhishek Sharma battling cramps.
So cricket isn't just a game -- it's also a test of endurance, patience, and your electrolyte levels!
© 2025