On this day in 2010: India clinch Asia Cup by defeating Sri Lanka
India are the most successful side when it comes to Asia Cup with a record seven titles to their name. The Men in Blue locked horns with Sri Lanka in the 2010 final on this very day. The Lankans used to be a dominant side back then and in fact, they had handed bitter defeats to India in the 2004 and 2008 editions. The challenge was different and touch on that occasion as it was being played in Sri Lanka.
When India ended the Sri Lankan dominance in Asia Cup
Indian skipper MS Dhoni won the toss and elected to bat first at Dambulla. Dinesh Karthik, who used to be in and out of the team at that point in time, seized the opportunity and took the Sri Lanka bowlers to the cleaners as he scored 66.
Captain Dhoni (38) and Rohit Sharma (41) also made some significant contributions and finishing touches from Ravindra Jadeja and Harbhajan Singh in the end propelled India to a stiff total of 268/6 from their 50 overs.
The target was indeed a challenging one for the hosts under lights and they needed to get a good start upfront. Unfortunately, the hosts lost the key wicket of Tillakratne Dilshan for a duck after which the Indian bowlers ran through the Lankan batting line-up, reducing them to 51/5.
It appeared as if Sri Lanka’s title defence would end in a humiliating manner, but Thilana Kandamby (31) and Chamara Kapugedara (55*) tried their level best to delay the inevitable. Nonetheless, it did not matter in the end and after Kandamby was run out in the 30th over, Kapugedara could not take care of the chase single-handedly as the Indian bowlers picked up wickets from the other end to dismiss them for 187.
In the bowling department, it was Ashish Nehra who took the life out of the Sri Lankan run chase with figures of 4/40 from his nine overs and he accounted for the likes of skipper Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Angelo Mathews and Lasith Malinga.
Thus, by the virtue of the 81-run victory, India not only lifted their fifth Asia Cup title but also avoided Sri Lanka from completing a hat-trick of title triumphs. Furthermore, the Men in Blue won an Asia Cup tournament after a long wait of 15 years, having lifted the prestigious trophy last time in 1995 under Mohammad Azharuddin’s reign.
