Pathum Nissanka joins Virat Kohli, Babar Hayat in rare T20 Asia Cup feat, becomes first Sri Lankan to…

Pathum Nissanka became only the third batter after India's Virat Kohli and Hong Kong's Babar Hayat to score a hundred in the history of T20 Asia Cup when the Sri Lankan reached three figures in just 52 deliveries on Friday. Chasing India's mammoth 202/5, Nissanka led the chase for Sri Lanka with his blistering batting and brought up his maiden T20I hundred with a six.

In the process, Nissanka also became the first Sri Lankan to score a hundred in the T20 Asia Cup. He also became the fourth Sri Lankan after Mahela Jayawardene (2010), Tillakaratne Dilshan (2011) and Kusal Perera (2025) to score a hundred in the shortest format of the game.

While Hayat's hundred came against Oman in 2016, Kohli's only T20I hundred came against Afghanistan in the 2022 edition - his first three-figure score after three years. Nissanka was finally dismissed for 107 in just 58 balls, which included seven fours and six sixes.

India survive Pathum Nissanka's maiden T20I ton

Chasing India 202/5, Nissanka led the Sri Lankan chase from the first ball. He completed his hundred in 52 balls before falling to Harshit Rana in the final over. The right-hander's innings ended at 107 off 58 balls as Sri Lanka tied the score at 202/5 in 20 overs to force a Super Over.

In the Super Over, left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh struck twice to restrict Sri Lanka to just two runs, which India skipper Suryakumar Yadav knocked off in the first ball. Earlier, Kusal Perera chipped in with a 32-ball 58 for Sri Lanka. This was also the second consecutive time India and Sri Lanka played a Super Over on T20Is, the last time was in 2024.

With this win, India enter the Asia Cup 2025 final as the only unbeaten side in the tournament. Sri Lanka go home with three wins in group stages and three losses in Super 4s.