Can India still qualify for Asia Cup 2022 final in Dubai?

Rohit Sharma's team need other results to go their way to make it to title clash on Sunday

Sri Lanka's Dilshan Madushanka bowls India's Virat Kohli for a duck in the Asia Cup 2022 game at Dubai International Stadium on Tuesday, September 6. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Sri Lanka's Dilshan Madushanka, right, celebrates after bowling India's Virat Kohli. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis on his way to a half century. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka plays a stroke on his way to his half century. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Sri Lanka's Dilshan Madushanka bowls India's Deepak Hooda. Chris Whiteoak / The National

India's Rohit Sharma bats. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Sri Lanka's Maheesh Theekshana celebrates taking the wicket of India's KL Rahul. Chris Whiteoak / The National

India's Rohit Sharma after making his 50. Chris Whiteoak / The National

India's Suryakumar Yadav. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Sri Lanka players react as Sri Lanka's Maheesh Theekshana takes the wicket of India's KL Rahul. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Sri Lanka's Chamika Karunaratne celebrates taking the wicket of India's Rohit Sharma. Chris Whiteoak / The National

India's Suryakumar Yadav bats. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Sri Lanka's Chamika Karunaratne bowls India's Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Chris Whiteoak / The National

India's Deepak Hooda makes a tight run. Chris Whiteoak / The National

India's Rishabh Pant plays a hook. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Sri Lanka's Dilshan Madushanka celebrates the wicket of India's Deepak Hooda. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis. Chris Whiteoak / The National

India fans in the stands. Chris Whiteoak / The National

An India fan before the game. Chris Whiteoak / The National

India fans before the game against Sri Lanka. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Sri Lanka's sensational win in their Super 4 match in Dubai on Tuesday seems to have thrown the prediction of a straightforward showdown between India and and Pakistan in the final out of the window.

Pakistan avenged their loss to India in the group phase by chasing down 182 with one ball to spare through stunning knocks by Mohammad Rizwan and Mohammad Nawaz. Then Sri Lanka put a terrible start to the campaign - an eight-wicket loss to Afghanistan - behind them by chasing down 174 against the Indians with one ball in hand at the Dubai International Stadium.

That means both Pakistan and Sri Lanka are one step closer to the final that will take place in Dubai on Sunday.

India's qualification for the title match that earlier seemed to be a formality is now looking almost impossible.

Remaining matches of Asia Cup 2022

Wednesday, September 7: Afghanistan v Pakistan, Sharjah (6pm)

Thursday, September 8: Afghanistan v India, Dubai

Friday, September 9: Sri Lanka v Pakistan, Dubai

Sunday, September 11: Final, Dubai

Super 4 points table:

1. Sri Lanka: 2 matches, 4 points, net run rate 0.351

2. Pakistan: 1 match, 2 points, NRR 0.126

3. India: 2 matches, 0 points, NRR -0.125

4. Afghanistan: 1 match, 0 points, -0.589

How can India qualify for the final?

As is expected in such scenarios, India will need a lot of favours from other teams to make it to the final. Firstly, they need Pakistan to lose both their remaining matches. India must then beat Afghanistan by a big enough margin to leapfrog Pakistan in the points table. If that happens, India and Sri Lanka will make it to the final.

However, if Pakistan defeat Afghanistan on Wednesday, it will mean end of the road for India as the team in green will jump to four points and qualify alongside Sri Lanka.

The only ray of hope for India is the toss. Teams chasing in Dubai have had a massive advantage this Asia Cup and also the T20 World Cup last year. Only Hong Kong have failed to chase down a target this tournament.

What next?

India captain Rohit Sharma has insisted there are no concerns even though there are just a couple of months to go before the T20 World Cup in Australia.

"The team is 90-95 per cent settled. Few changes will happen, that's about it," he said.

"There are lot of questions that we need to answer and in the last three or four series that we've played, we've found some answers. There will be a time where we will draw the line and we'll say this is the combination that we're going to play."

The opening batsman, who hit 72 from 41 balls against Sri Lanka, said the Asia Cup defeats had not dampened the squad's spirit.

"All the players are relaxed and chilled," he added.

"We want to maintain an atmosphere in the dressing room which does not change based on a win or a loss. There's nothing lacking as such, the team has quality. We have played and won so many matches."