The highly anticipated India-Pakistan final will have to be postponed, as will Pakistan's run at the 2023 Asian Cup, with Sri Lanka having booked their place in the 2023 Asian Cup final. In a thrilling match taking place in the rain in Colombo, Sri Lanka won against the world's top-ranked ODI team. The final match will see Sri Lanka take on India, who secured their place with impressive wins over Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Attractive match:
Early in the innings, Sri Lanka had reduced Pakistan to 130/5 before the second rain, seemingly putting themselves in an easy position to win. However, the rain changed the outcome of the match, turning it into an interesting battle. The partnership between Mohammad Rizwan and Iftikhar Ahmed took Pakistan to a formidable total of 252/7 in 42 overs, a target that initially seemed out of reach.
Sri Lanka responded with determination, successfully chasing down 252 (according to the DLS method) in 42 overs, finally claiming a hard-fought victory off the last ball, winning by a margin of two wickets. Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama led Sri Lanka's batting line-up, staging an impressive comeback. While Iftikhar Ahmed's saves and Shaheen Shah Afridi's crucial strikes momentarily shifted the momentum towards Pakistan, it was Charith Asalanka who emerged as the hero of the match, displaying composure remarkable and leading Sri Lanka to victory. This match marked only the second time in the history of the ODI Asia Cup that a team had successfully executed a chase off the last ball. 
Journey to the finale:
Today, India will take on Bangladesh in the final match of the Super Four before the final match on Sunday (September 17). With Bangladesh technically eliminated from the competition, this match has diminished in importance. India can use this opportunity to give playing time to players like Tilak Verma, Suryakumar Yadav, Mukesh Kumar, Mohammad Shami and Shreyas Iyer, giving them a rest ahead of this weekend's final.
Sri Lanka's participation in the final will not be an easy task for the Indian team. Despite the absence of key bowlers like Hasaranga, Chameera, Madhushanka and Lahiru Kumara, the home team still put up strong cricket performances. Despite India's favourable position, Sri Lanka's journey to the Asian Cup final is not simple. Their collective effort has brought them to their 11th appearance in the Asian Cup (ODI) final.
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