Asia Cup 2025 live streaming: Sri Lanka edge Hong Kong in tight T20 as fans tune in across platforms

Sri Lanka had to work for it, but they got the job done. In their first-ever T20I meeting, the defending champions hunted down Hong Kong’s 149/4 to win by four wickets with seven balls left in Dubai. It wasn’t a walkover. Early swing made batting tricky, Hong Kong refused to go away, and the game stayed alive until the 19th over. Sri Lanka’s deeper batting and cooler heads in the chase made the difference.

If you were looking for the match on TV or your phone, there were plenty of ways to watch. Sony Sports Network had the broadcast rights for India, with live streaming on SonyLIV. YuppTV also carried the game through its app and website, giving fans another door into the contest. For a Monday night fixture that started at 8:00 PM IST (6:30 PM local time in Dubai), the timing fit right into prime time.

How to watch Sri Lanka vs Hong Kong: TV and live streaming

For fans following the Asia Cup 2025, the broadcast plan was straightforward and designed for easy access. If you were on the couch, Sony Sports channels aired the match live on television. If you were on the move, SonyLIV streamed it on phones, tablets, laptops, and most smart TVs. YuppTV offered an additional streaming route for viewers in several regions, especially useful if you prefer an OTT platform that’s familiar outside India.

• Television: Sony Sports Network carried the live broadcast across its sports channels in India.
• Live streaming: SonyLIV streamed the match on its app and website. A valid subscription and login were required to watch in HD.
• Alternative OTT: YuppTV provided a parallel live stream via its app and browser platform, useful for viewers who rely on OTT services across regions.

Coverage included the usual pre- and post-match shows with analysis and player interviews. If you missed the live action, highlights and short clips were available on the official broadcast platforms soon after stumps.

Practical tips that helped on match day: make sure your app is updated, log in a few minutes early to avoid last-minute password resets, and use a stable Wi‑Fi network (10–15 Mbps is usually enough for HD). If you’re casting to a TV, keep your phone and TV on the same network to avoid lag.

As for timing, the match began at 8:00 PM IST on Monday, September 15, 2025, which is 6:30 PM in Dubai. That start ensured the powerplay happened under lights, where the new ball tends to talk in Dubai and edges stay in play for slip catchers and keepers.

Match recap, key talking points, and what it means for the tournament

This contest was never about records; it was about control. Hong Kong posted 149/4—par on a surface that gave the quicks enough swing to keep batters honest early on. Sri Lanka replied with measured aggression and finished at 153/6 in 18.5 overs. A four-wicket win sounds comfortable on paper, but the game had a few moments where a wicket or two could have tipped momentum.

Sri Lanka’s chase started with intent but not recklessness. Pathum Nissanka, who has been in tidy touch this season, set the tone by picking gaps rather than attempting low-percentage shots in the first six overs. The middle order—anchored by Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, and Charith Asalanka—managed the tempo smartly, rotating strike and cashing in when the bowlers missed length. Captain Dasun Shanaka’s presence down the order offered insurance as the chase tightened near the finish.

Hong Kong’s bowlers did their job for large parts. They took advantage of initial movement, kept a tight field, and didn’t allow easy boundaries through the infield. As dew crept in, gripping the ball became trickier, and that’s where Sri Lanka’s batters opened up. Even then, Hong Kong stuck to plans: mixing pace, attacking the stumps, and asking Sri Lanka to make the play rather than gifting runs.

With the ball, Sri Lanka had expected leaders—and they showed. Dushmantha Chameera hit hard lengths and went full when needed, while Matheesha Pathirana’s slingy angle caused issues at the death. The return of Wanindu Hasaranga brought control and variation in the middle overs, which is where Sri Lanka quietly shut the door on any Hong Kong surge. On a pitch like Dubai’s, a leg-spinner who can bowl into the pitch and away from the batter’s arc is priceless.

Hong Kong’s batters leaned on experience. Babar Hayat, one of only two players to score a T20 Asia Cup century in the tournament’s history, steadied their innings and offered punch when set. The supporting cast kept the board moving without overreaching. Their final tally—149/4—felt competitive given the start-stop nature of the powerplay, the size of Dubai’s square boundaries, and Sri Lanka’s disciplined bowling phases.

Fielding mattered. Sri Lanka’s catching was clean, especially in the ring, which prevented easy singles turning into twos. Hong Kong hustled in the deep and cut off a handful of twos that could’ve made the chase a formality earlier. Those small margins kept the match alive until the penultimate over.

Conditions told their story too. Dubai under lights often gives the new ball five or six overs of shape, and that was on show. Once batters got in, stroke-making straight down the ground felt safer than across the line. The toss mattered because bowling first let you exploit that swing while the field was up. Later, with even a thin layer of dew, defending totals becomes a test of discipline and execution.

So what does this do for the bigger picture? For Sri Lanka, it keeps their title defense on track. They won their opener against Bangladesh and backed it up here, which means the points column looks healthy and the net run rate won’t scare them. The batting order looks balanced, and the bowling unit has variety: pace upfront, cutters and change-ups at the death, and a leg-spinner who controls the middle. That’s a tournament blueprint.

For Hong Kong, the performance was a step up in execution even if the result stings. They came in after losses to Afghanistan and Bangladesh, and they still pushed a heavyweight into the 19th over. The plan was clear: take the game deep, keep wickets in hand, and strike late. They hit most of those goals. What they’ll want next is a bigger punch in the final five overs with the bat and one more wicket in the powerplay with the ball. Those small upgrades turn narrow defeats into upsets.

Key storylines from the night:

• First-ever T20I between Sri Lanka and Hong Kong delivered a proper contest, not a mismatch.
• Early swing made survival skills more valuable than raw power in the powerplay.
• Sri Lanka’s middle-order game management—strike rotation, boundary options, and calm under pressure—won the chase.
• Hong Kong’s discipline with the ball and improved fielding kept the game tight well past halfway.

Players to watch going forward stayed the same but with more evidence behind the hype. Pathum Nissanka’s form at the top gives Sri Lanka a reliable platform, and Kusal Mendis’ tempo setting is the glue for their middle overs. Charith Asalanka remains a pressure player. With the ball, Chameera’s pace up front and Pathirana’s unique release at the death give Sri Lanka different angles. Hasaranga’s return means wickets and dot balls in the phase where games usually drift—his overs prevent drift.

For Hong Kong, Babar Hayat is still the central pillar. When he bats long, they score at a rate that keeps them alive late into the innings. Ehsan Khan’s experience as a T20I wicket-taker is a clear asset; when he gets grip from the surface, he changes batter behavior and slows run rate without needing magic balls every over.

On the viewing front, the ecosystem worked smoothly. Fans could stack options: TV when at home, stream when out. Many watched on a second screen while tracking stats on their phones—typical of modern match nights. Post-match, the highlights packages on the official platforms were quick to drop, with clips of key moments, wicket compilations, and the decisive shots in the chase.

If you’re planning for the next round of fixtures, the same broadcast pattern applies. Sony Sports Network on TV, SonyLIV on digital, and YuppTV as a complementary streaming platform in several regions. It’s worth checking your subscription status and device compatibility beforehand. Smart TVs, Android TV boxes, Apple TV units, Fire TV sticks, and game consoles generally support the major sports apps, but keeping firmware and apps updated reduces mid-match glitching.

There’s also a tactical angle for fans who enjoy the chess match within the game. In Dubai, teams bowling first tend to save at least one over of pace for after the powerplay to target new batters with hard lengths. Leg-spinners and wristies thrive when batters must hit across the line to break shackles. In the chase, set players target the straight boundaries to limit risk from mishits. Sri Lanka followed that template well; Hong Kong did, too, but lacked one extra wicket when Sri Lanka were rebuilding.

As the tournament rolls on, Sri Lanka’s combination looks more settled than most. A strong top three, a middle that can switch gears, and a death bowling plan that doesn’t rely on a single specialist—those are sustainable traits. Hong Kong’s path is clear as well: keep games tight, squeeze in the field, and take their batting deeper with the anchor set. They showed they can keep pace; now it’s about finishing games.