Rohit Sharma will lead India in the Asia Cup 2023 final against Sri Lanka, which will be played at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday, September 17. The Men in Blue are in search of their seventh Asia Cup title in the ODI format and eighth overall – they won the 2016 edition in the T20I format.
Rohit has had an impressive run in the ongoing Asia Cup, heading into the final. In five matches, he has scored 194 runs at an average of 48.50 and a strike rate of 107.78. The Indian captain began his Asia Cup 2023 campaign on a disappointing note as he was bowled for 11 by Shaheen Afridi in the team’s opening group match.
The 36-year-old followed it up with half-centuries in his next three matches. He scored an unbeaten 74 off 59 balls in the 10-wicket thumping of Nepal. Rohit then scored 56 off 49 against Pakistan in the Super 4 match and followed it up with 53 off 48 balls against Sri Lanka. He was, however, dismissed for a duck in the game against Bangladesh.
How Rohit Sharma has fared in Asia Cup finals
Rohit has been part of four Asia Cup finals, the first of which was against Sri Lanka in 2008 in Karachi. The Lankans hammered India by 100 runs in this final. Batting first, Sri Lanka posted 273 as Sanath Jayasuriya hit 125 off 114 balls.
India folded up for 173 in the chase as mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis ran through the Indian batting with figures of 6/13. Rohit, who batted at No. 6, was one of Mendis’ victims, trapped lbw by the spinner for 3 off 8 balls.
Rohit was part of the Indian team that beat Sri Lanka by 81 runs in the 2010 Asia Cup final at Dambulla. He contributed a handy 41 off 52 balls as the Men in Blue posted 268/6, batting first. Dinesh Karthik top-scored with 66 off 48 deliveries. Ashish Nehra then claimed 4/40 as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 187.
The right-handed batter featured in the playing XI that lifted the 2016 T20 Asia Cup, thumping Bangladesh by eight wickets in the final in Mirpur. He was out for 1 off 5 balls, caught at slip off Al-Amin Hossain, after India were set a target of 121. However, Shikhar Dhawan (60 off 44), Virat Kohli (41* off 28), and skipper MS Dhoni (20* off 6) took the Men in Blue past the finish line in 13.5 overs.
With Kohli rested for the 2018 Asia Cup, Rohit led the Indian team to a title triumph. The Men in Blue faced Bangladesh in the final in Dubai and emerged victorious by three wickets in a thriller.
Set to chase 223, Rohit top-scored with 48 off 55 balls. He was dismissed by Rubel Hossain after which India lost their way. Kedar Jadhav (23* off 27), however, held his nerve to lift his team to victory off the last ball.
