During the 2025 T20 Asia Cup in Dubai, Sri Lanka’s aggressive openers Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Perera made close T20 Asia Cup history by breaking a long-held Indian record. While chasing a target of 203 runs, set by a leading Indian side, Nissanka and Perera built a blistering second-wicket partnership of 127 runs in 70 balls, surpassing the previous record of 119 runs held by Virat Kholi and KL Rahul in the 2022 match against Afghanistan.
September 26, 2025, was the first day of the Dubai International Cricket Stadium being equipped with floodlights, and the match was a display of high-octane cricket. With Abhishek Sharma’s record breaking campaign leading the charge with 309 runs in the tournament, Sharma set the tone with his 50 runs, the 3rd consecutive in the tournament, and India posted 202 runs in the tournament, the first 202 runs in India’s history in the Asia Cup. Sharma’s performance was noted with 5 runs and the conserve was done by Suryakumar Yadav’s execute which made the inning to flow. But it was Sri Lanka’s response that made the most important statement.
Hardik Pandya made an impact early on by dismissing Kusal Mendis for a duck in the first over, but Nissanka and Perera quickly regrouped and attacked with intimidating efficiency. Nissanka is an anchor player and turned 27 recently, but plays with unshakeable confidence on even the biggest stages. It was no surprise that he bludgeoned the Sri Lankan attack. In the process, he brought up his first T20I century and his fifth 50-plus score in T20 Asia Cup history in just 52 balls, surpassing Kohli’s previous record of four. Perera, the veteran cricketer renowned for his explosive batting and quick scoring, also played superbly by scoring 58 off just 32 balls. The attacking intent of the pair was obvious and remarkably aggressive, resulting in Sri Lanka being in complete control of the game with a score of 157/2 in 15 overs.
The end of the partnership came with the introduction of Varun Chakaravarthy, India’s mystery spinner, who turned the game for India by dismissing Perera with a googly. Nissanka scaled greater heights and completed his century with a massive six down the ground, celebrating Kohli’s iconic “keep talking” gesture from Perth 2018. Unfortunately, the wickets began to fall quickly. Kuldeep Yadav dismissed Charith Asalanka, Arshdeep Singh got Kamindu Mendis, and Harshit Rana got the centurion Nissanka for 107 off 58 and abruptly Sri Lanka ended 202/5, which forced a rare Super Over.
In a tense final phase, India’s bowlers managed to defeat Sri Lanka and win the match, thanks to the calmness of the Indian side. However, Sri Lanka’s Nissanka and Perera’s heroics meant the loss was not a disaster. Nissanka became the first Sri Lankan to score a T20I hundred in the Asia Cup and only the third batter to score a T20I hundred in the Asia Cup, after Kohli and Hong Kong’s Babar Hayat. Nissanka’s knock also became the highest score by a Sri Lankan against India in T20Is which reflects his development as a player and as a global talent. He scored 17 T20I fifties, the most for Sri Lanka, and more than a promising talent.
This record breaking partnership brings to mind the Kohli-Rahul Masterclass of 2022, where India’s Kohli ended his drought with a 122 not out, and again, 3 years later, Nissanka and Perera have raised the bar again. The Asia Cup 2023 is more competitive with Sri Lanka again looking to advance to the knock-out stages. The Nissanka-Perera partnership in T20 cricket has already been made a ‘renaissance’ for the Sri Lankan side. It is a refreshing change from the power hitting most focus on to see the use of timing and placement, as Sri Lanka have been relying on power hitting. The Asia Cup record 2025 has already promises competitive and high scoring matches in cricket as the subcontinent holds the tournament.
