Asia Cup 2022: Sri Lanka prove a T20 World Cup point with India win

Rajapaksa said Sri Lanka have shaken off their underdogs tag and proved they can challenge at next month's T20 World Cup, after beating India to stand on the verge of the Asia Cup final. Rajapaksa's side bounced back from a crushing opening defeat against Afghanistan to register three straight wins in the Twenty20 tournament, which was moved from Sri Lanka to the United Arab Emirates because of political unrest and an economic crisis.

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Defending champions India went perilously close to elimination after a 6-wicket defeat against Sri Lanka in their super four stage match of the Asia Cup. The result left the Men in Blue at the mercy of the other teams to have a chance of making it to the final. It also meant that India skipper Rohit

Skipper Dasun Shanaka and Rajapaksa put on unbeaten stand of 64 to help Sri Lanka chase down 174 to beat pre-tournament favourites India by six wickets in the Super Four match in Dubai on Tuesday. "We were underdogs from the time that we came to the UAE. We all know how Pakistan and India are on their day," said Rajapaksa, who hit an unbeaten 25. "So we had less pressure and all we wanted to was prove a point to the world, especially to our nation because with all the crisis happening back home this is the only thing with which we could bring smile to their faces." If Pakistan beat Afghanistan later on Wednesday, they will face Sri Lanka in Sunday's final and knock out arch-rivals India in the process. Sri Lanka, who won the 50-over World Cup in 1996 and the T20 World Cup in 2014, have enjoyed success on the field this year despite the country reeling from fuel