The Asia Cup 2025 Super 4 clash between India and Sri Lanka turned into a nail-biting thriller, ending in a Super Over. However, during Sri Lanka’s innings, an unusual incident surprised fans and sparked debate. Despite Pathum Nissanka hitting the ball over the boundary for six, Sri Lanka were not awarded the runs. Instead, the umpire declared it a dead ball, and India benefited from the ruling.

The incident occurred in the sixth over of Sri Lanka’s run chase, with spinner Varun Chakravarthy bowling. On the third ball of the over, as Varun began his run-up, umpire Izatullah Safi signaled a dead ball just before the delivery. However, Varun went ahead and bowled the ball anyway.

Pathum Nissanka, in terrific form, smashed the short delivery over long-on. Axar Patel attempted the catch at the boundary but dropped it, and the ball sailed past the ropes for six. The Sri Lankan players and fans celebrated the big hit—only to be stunned when the umpire declared the delivery a dead ball.

According to cricket laws, when an umpire signals a dead ball, the play is considered invalid. Any run scored, wicket taken, or boundary hit on that ball is not counted. In this case, even though Nissanka struck a clean six, it was annulled.

The real reason behind this call was linked to Indian opener Abhishek Sharma. At the time of the delivery, Sharma was in the process of leaving the field but had not completely crossed the boundary line. Under ICC rules, if a fielder is in transition and not fully off the field of play, the umpire can call a dead ball to avoid confusion.

Thus, umpire Izatullah Safi’s decision followed the rulebook—but it left Sri Lanka six runs poorer.

For Sri Lanka, this proved to be a major setback in a tightly contested match. Pathum Nissanka was in sensational touch, eventually going on to score a 107-run century off 58 balls. His explosive partnership with Kusal Perera (58 off 32) nearly guided Sri Lanka to a stunning chase of 203 runs.

But with six crucial runs not counted, the Islanders were left ruing their luck. They eventually fell short by just one run, tying the match with India at 202 each, which pushed the contest into a Super Over.

In the Super Over, Sri Lanka faltered, managing only two runs while losing two wickets. India then comfortably chased the target on the very first ball, sealing their sixth consecutive win in the tournament.

• Dead ball rule controversy: Sri Lanka lost six legitimate-looking runs because of Abhishek Sharma’s incomplete exit from the field.

• Impact on the match: Had those runs been counted, Sri Lanka might not have needed a Super Over at all.

• India’s benefit: The ruling ultimately worked in India’s favor, keeping their winning streak alive.

This rare dead ball ruling sparked heated discussion among fans and analysts, highlighting how technical details of cricket laws can dramatically influence high-stakes matches.