It's not India vs Pakistan, but it's the final of a major tournament and based on how India and Sri Lanka have played so far in this edition of the Asia Cup this clash of two teams in blue promises to be a cracker of a contest.
Cricket fans the world over will be hoping that the rain in Colombo doesn't affect the game. There is a reserve day in place, but everyone would like to see one uninterrupted contest.
Both teams have enjoyed tremendous success in the tournament over the years and with Sri Lanka playing in home conditions, Rohit Sharma and co. will have their task cut out as they aim to win the crown of Asia's best cricket team.
1/10:Asia Cup Final: India look to snap trophy-less streak against Sri Lanka
ANI
2/10:Will India end title drought?
<p>The Indian team will be firm favourites to end its 5-year trophy draught in multi-nation events, when it squares off against a depleted Sri Lanka in the final of the Asia Cup. <br /></p>ANI
3/10:The uncomfortable truth
<p>A glance at India's trophy cabinet will reveal the uncomfortable truth of them not winning any titles in the last five years, and Sunday will be a good opportunity for them to snap that unhappy streak.<br /></p>IANS
4/10:Ideal boost before World Cup
<p>Not to forget a win before getting into the World Cup mode will be the ideal boost for a side which hasn't yet fully ticked all boxes but is showing way more solidity than one would have thought a few months back.<br /></p>IANS
5/10:Faltering in pressure matches
<p>India's last title, across the three formats, came in 2018 when the Rohit's side beat Bangladesh in the Asia Cup by 3 wickets in Dubai. Since that victory, India's inability to master crunch matches and occasions has been startling.<br /></p>AP
6/10:The losing streak
<p>India reached semifinals of the 50-over World Cup in 2019 and the T20 World Cup in 2022, besides losing against New Zealand and Australia in the WTC finals in 2019 and 2023 respectively.<br /></p>AFP
7/10:Trophy in sight
<p>India will believe that they have a brilliant chance to add a trophy to their glittering collection come Sunday. India are certain to recall the five players who were rested in the Bangladesh clash.<br /><br /></p>AFP
8/10:The return of Virat, Hardik
<p>The return of Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya for the summit clash will certainly add meat to their batting unit, which struggled against the array of Bangladesh spinners.<br /></p>PTI
9/10:Sundar roped in
<p>Washington Sundar has been called up as a cover for the injured Axar Patel. The all-rounder sustained several injuries during India's six-run loss to Bangladesh on Friday.<br /></p>Getty Images
10/10:Seeking boost in confidence
<p>A victory here in the Asia Cup will boost their confidence ahead of the quadrennial big bash next month, as they also seek to end a 10-year-long ICC trophy drought.<br /></p>ANIAhead of the big final, the TOI Sports Desk looks at some of the most interesting statistics involving these two teams in the Asia Cup, over the years:
# Sri Lanka's success % of 69.09 is the best by any team in the Asia Cup, winning 38 & losing 17 out of 55 contests.
# Sri Lanka have won five Asia Cup Finals out of ten played - vs Pakistan in 1986; vs India in 1997, 2004 & 2008 and vs Pakistan in 2014.
# India have also won five Asia Cup Finals out of eight contested - in 1988; in 1991; in 1995 & 2010 - all four vs Sri Lanka and vs Bangladesh in 2018. India won the first 1984 Asia Cup as well (without playing the Final as it was a round robin league)
# India's success % of 62.96 is the second best, winning 34 & losing 17 out of 54 played (Tied 1 & No Result 2).
# Sanath Jayasuriya's 125 off 114 balls at Karachi on July 6, 2008 remains the highest by a Sri Lankan batter against any opponent in the ASia Cup Final.
# Mahela Jayawardene & Lahiru Thirimanne were involved in a stand of 156 vs Pakistan at Mirpur on March 8, 2014 - Sri Lanka's highest partnership in an Asia Cup Final.
# Sri Lanka's highest partnership in an Asia Cup final against India remains 137 for the first wicket at Colombo (RPS) on July 26, 1997.
# Captain Mohammad Azharuddin's unbeaten 90 off 89 balls vs Sri Lanka at Sharjah on April 14, 1995 remains the highest by an Indian batter in the Asia Cup Final.
# Azharuddin was associated in an unbroken stand of 175 for the third wicket with Navjot Singh Sidhu (84 not out) vs Sri Lanka at Sharjah on April 14, 1995 - the highest stand for any wicket by any pair in the final of the Asia Cup. The said stand remains the only century stand for India in a winning cause in the final of the Asia Cup.
1/10:Asia Cup: Bangladesh upset India for consolation win
Getty Images
2/10:Winners
<p>Bangladesh registered a six-run win over India in the Asia Cup to boost their confidence ahead of the World Cup<br /></p>AFP
3/10:Dead rubber
<p>The win in the inconsequential 'Super 4' match was Bangladesh's first over India in the Asia Cup in 12 years. India will take on Sri Lanka in the final on Oct 17<br /></p>IANS
4/10:Top scorer
<p>India faltered in their run-chase of 266 despite opener Shubman Gill's century (121)<br /></p>ANI
5/10:Valiant knock
<p>Axar Patel was the only other Indian batter to show some resistance with his 34-ball 42 lower down the order<br /></p>Getty Images
6/10:Spearhead
<p>Mustafizur Rahman led the Bangladesh bowling with 3 wickets while debutant Tanzim Hasan Sakib & Mahedi Hasan claimed two each<br /></p>Getty Images
7/10:Testing reserves
<p>India gave chances to players on the bench as they rested some key performers, including Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah<br /><br /></p>AFP
8/10:Captain's knock
<p> Earlier, Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan's 80 took them to a competitive 265/8 after being put in to bat <br /></p>ANI
9/10:Wicket-takers
<p>India reduced Bangladesh to 59/4 after an inspired opening spell by Shardul Thakur (3/65); Mohammed Shami returned figures of 2/32<br /></p>AP
10/10:Key stand
<p>Shakib and Towhid Hridoy (54) then stitched a 101-run stand to revive the Bangladesh innings <br /></p>AFP# Just two bowlers have produced five-wicket hauls in the Asia Cup finals - both Sri Lankans - Ajantha Mendis (6 for 13 vs India at Karachi on July 6, 2008) and Lasith Malinga (5 for 56 vs Pakistan at Mirpur on March 8, 2014).
# The best figures by an Indian bowler in the final of the Asia Cup remains Kapil Dev's 4 for 31 vs Sri Lanka at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on January 4, 1991.
# Ashish Nehra had produced 4 for 40 in India's triumph by 81 runs in the Asia Cup Final vs Sri Lanka at Dambulla on June 24, 2010 but Dinesh Karthik got the Man of the Match award for top scoring (66) in India's innings of 268 for six.
# Sanath Jayasuriya is the only Sri Lankan batter to post a hundred vs India in the Asia Cup Final - 125 by Sanath Jayasuriya at Karachi on July 6, 2008.
# The only hat-trick in the Asia Cup final has been accomplished by Kapil Dev, dismissing Roshan Mahanama, Rumesh Ratnayake and Sanath Jayasuriya off successive balls at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on January 4, 1991.
# Sri Lanka's Farveez Maharoof remains the only other bowler to produce a hat-trick in the Asia Cup, dismissing Ravindra Jadeja, Praveen Kumar and Zaheer Khan off consecutive deliveries.
# India (97/0) had become the first team to record a ten-wicket triumph in the Rothmans Asia Cup at Sharjah on April 8, 1984 - vs Sri Lanka (96). By defeating Nepal by ten wickets at Pallekele on September 4, 2023, India became the first and only team to register two such wins in the Asia Cup.
# Sri Lanka (191/0) remains the only other team to win by ten wickets - vs Bangladesh (190 for nine) at Colombo (RPS) on July 23, 2004.
# India remains the only country to chase 300-plus targets successfully three times in the Asia Cup - twice vs Pakistan and once vs Sri Lanka. India's total of 330 for four vs Pakistan (329/6) at Mirpur on March 18, 2012 remains the highest by any team in a successful chase in the Asia Cup.
# Virat Kohli's career-best ODI score of 183 off 144 balls in a successful chase vs Pakistan at Mirpur on March 18, 2012 remains the highest individual score in the history of the Asia Cup. The next highest successful score also stands in his name - 136 off 122 balls vs Bangladesh at Fatullah on February 26, 2014.
1/10:Asia Cup: Sri Lanka stun Pakistan to set up final with India
AFP
2/10:Sri Lanka beat Pakistan
<p>Kusal Mendis' 91 and an unbeaten 49 by Charith Asalanka helped Sri Lanka edge out Pakistan by two wickets in a last-ball thriller of the Asia Cup to set up a final clash with India. </p>AFP
3/10:Charith Asalanka
<p>Chasing a DLS revised target of 252 in the 42-overs-a-side contest, Sri Lanka needed eight from the final over and achieved the target with Asalanka's winning hit on the last ball. </p>AFP
4/10:Mohammad Rizwan
<p>Mohammad Rizwan hit an unbeaten 86 to steer Pakistan to 252-7 after they elected to bat first in the rain delayed start to the match. </p>AFP
5/10:Rizwan fifty
<p>Sri Lanka's bowlers took regular early wickets to check Pakistan's scoring, but Rizwan hit 12th ODI half-century and a 108-run stand with Iftikhar, who made 47. </p>AFP
6/10:Pramod Madushan
<p>Fast bowler Pramod Madushan struck first as he bowled Fakhar Zaman for four with a yorker that raised the decibels in the ground. </p>AP
7/10:Shafique and Azam
<p>Abdullah Shafique (52) and skipper Babar Azam (29) put on 63 before Azam was stumped off Dunith Wellalage and Shafique fell to Matheesha Pathirana. </p>AP
8/10:Rizwan and Iftikhar
<p>Pakistan returned from a rain break on 130-5 with Rizwan digging deep and he got support from Iftikhar, who hit two sixes in his 40-ball knock. </p>AFP
9/10:Unbeaten Rizwan
<p>Pathirana sent back Iftikhar for his third wicket and Madushan took one more scalp, but Rizwan remained unbeaten and finished with a boundary. </p>AFP
10/10:The finisher
<p>Mendis set up victory with a 100-run third-wicket stand with Sadeera Samarawickrama, who made 48, but Asalanka took it on himself after their departure. </p>AP# Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralidaran, with 30 wickets at 28.83 runs apiece in 24 matches, remains the top wicket-taker in the Asia Cup. His only five-wicket haul is 5 for 31 vs Bangladesh at Karachi on June 30, 2008.
# The top wicket-taker for India in the Asia Cup is Ravindra Jadeja - 25 wickets at 26.28 runs apiece in 19 matches, including two four-wicket hauls.
# India's Rohit Sharma has hit 28 sixes in 26 innings - the most by a batter in the Asia Cup.
# Three players share the record for most sixes (seven) in an innings in the Asia Cup -Pakistan's Shahid Afridi (twice), India's Sourav Ganguly and Afghanistan's Mohammad Shahzad.
Stats Courtesy: Rajesh Kumar
