Dubai, Sep 27: Team India's bowling coach Morne Morkel hailed his side's resilience after India edged out Sri Lanka in a thrilling Super Over contest in their
last Super 4 match of the Asia Cup 2025 on Friday (September 27).
India, who had already sealed a place in the final, posted 202/5 batting first but were pushed to the brink by Sri Lanka, who matched the total thanks to Pathum Nissanka's maiden T20I century (107 off 58) and Kusal Perera's 58 off 32.
With the scores tied, Arshdeep Singh bowled a brilliant Super Over, dismissing Perera and Dasun Shanaka, restricting Sri Lanka to just two runs. Suryakumar Yadav then sealed India's fifth straight win with the winning run on the first ball.
Fitness Concerns Over Hardik and Abhishek
One of the major talking points was the absence of and Abhishek Sharma from the field for most of Sri Lanka's innings. Both played key roles earlier-Hardik struck in the first over with the ball, while Abhishek smashed 61 off 31 balls-but did not return for fielding duties.
Morkel clarified the situation: "Both of them struggled with cramp during the game. Hardik, I know, we'll assess tonight and tomorrow morning and make a call on that. Abhishek is fine. " The update will be a relief for fans, with the final scheduled in two days' time.
Pacers Facing Challenges
India's pacers have leaked runs in the latter half of the tournament, including senior bowler Jasprit Bumrah. Though Bumrah was rested for the match against Sri Lanka, other bowlers, including Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana, went for runs in the run chase.
When asked about the struggles, Morkel explained: "If you look at the trend of the tournament so far, after 10 overs the scoring rate slows down. The new ball comes on nicely, and the margin for error is quite small. As a bowling attack, we want to go the aggressive route and try and get wickets in the powerplay. In the middle overs, our spinners come into play. "
Areas of Improvement Before Final for Team India
Despite India's unbeaten run, Morkel admitted the team hasn't yet played a "complete game": "I don't think in this tournament so far we've played the complete game. After every match there are areas we'd like to improve-rotating strike better, protecting partnerships, improving lengths and accuracy in the first 10 overs, and sharper thinking under pressure. "
He also emphasised the need for better catching and execution in the field.
On Getting Tested in a Dead Rubber
Though Sri Lanka had already been knocked out, their spirited performance was seen as a blessing in disguise by Morkel:
"Yes, it's good for the final, but also looking down the line. I always challenge the players to want the ball in tough situations. The more we can find ourselves in sticky situations and execute well, that's how this group will grow. "
Managing Game Time and Recovery
With a quick turnaround before the final, Morkel stressed recovery was key: "There will be no training tomorrow. Recovery started straight after the game with ice baths. The best recovery is sleep and staying off your feet. Tomorrow, the players will have pool sessions, massages, and prepare mentally for Sunday. "
Bumrah's Role in the Powerplay
Asked about Jasprit Bumrah's heavy use in the powerplay, Morkel said: "It's a tough job bowling three overs upfront, but Jasprit is one of the best in the world. With a new ball, we want wickets. The golden rule in T20 cricket is to take wickets, and who better than Bumrah to strike early?"
India March to Final Unbeaten
With five wins out of five, India head into the final brimming with confidence, but Morkel reiterated the importance of continuous improvement: "We are by no means the finished article. Luckily, we've won-even in ugly fashion-but we'll take that. The bigger picture is about learning and growing. "
Team India will now face arch-rivals Pakistan in the highly-anticipated Asia Cup 2025 Final on Sunday (September 28) at the same venue and the Men in Blue would be hoping that Hardik and Abhishek resume fitness in time.
