Rohit Sharma's India face underdogs Sri Lanka in Sunday's Asia Cup final, a crucial momentum-builder heading into next month's ODI World Cup. The cricketing giants have 13 Asian titles between them and Sri Lanka have a history of sneaking into the tournament's final -- to the consternation of fans keen for any showdown between arch-rivals India and Pakistan.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Bangladesh ended India's unbeaten run in the 50-over tournament after edging them out by six runs in Friday's last Super Four match.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Shubman Gill hit 121 but his knock went in vain after India faltered in their chase of 266 in Colombo, where Sunday's final will also be held.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"I don't think it has broken our momentum," Gill told reporters after the narrow defeat.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"We have played good cricket. Sometimes it happens on these wickets. I was set and should have finished off the game."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Gill said clinching India's eighth Asia Cup title would give them "confidence" ahead of the World Cup starting back home on October 5.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
India began with a washed-out match in Pallekele against Pakistan, whose fast bowlers rattled their top order and bowled them out for 266 in the only innings possible due to rain.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Big guns Virat Kohli and returning batsman KL Rahul hit back with centuries in their next outing against Babar Azam's team to rack up 356-2 and crush Pakistan by 228 runs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
India then prevented a gutsy Sri Lankan chase to book their place in the final, but Gill said their opponents were still a threat.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"We will have to pull up our socks and be at our 100 percent to beat them," he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
- 'Without our key players' -<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n Sri Lanka, who won the previous edition of the Asia Cup played in the T20 format, came in as underdogs and snuck into the Super Fours with a dramatic win over Afghanistan.<\/p>\r\n\r\n They soon got into their groove on home soil and, despite going down to India, edged out Pakistan in a knockout match for their 11th Asia Cup final.<\/p>\r\n\r\n "We came without our key players, but still we managed to make the finals," skipper Dasun Shanaka said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Injuries sidelined Dushmantha Chameera and Wanindu Hasaranga, but others stood up at crucial junctures.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Kusal Mendis and Charith Asalanka both hit match-winning knocks to take the team over the line in a rain-shortened match and push a much-favoured Pakistan out of the tournament.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Up-and-coming fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana and left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage have impressed and lead the tournament's bowling chart with 11 and 10 wickets respectively.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Wellalage rattled India's batting with five wickets including the prized scalps of Kohli and Rohit in their Super Four match.<\/p>\r\n\r\n