Mohammed Siraj produced one of the best-ever bowling performances in ODIs to stream-roll Sri Lanka to 50 runs as India won the Asia Cup 2023 final by 10 wickets at R. Premadasa International Stadium.
India took only 6.1 overs to chase as Sri Lanka suffered their heaviest defeat in ODIs in terms of balls remaining (263 balls).
>> WATCH – A real test awaits for Sri Lanka | #INDvSL Asia Cup Final Preview
In the space of six balls, particularly the fourth over of the match, Sri Lanka lost 4 wickets as Mohammad Siraj ensured the home team did not stand a chance to recover from that early slump.
Kusal Perera nicked behind for a duck in the very first over off Bumrah. After Siraj happened to Sri Lanka, the Indian bowlers showed no mercy. Pathum Nissanka hit it straight to cover point in the first ball of the 4th over, two balls later, Sadeera Samarawickrama was caught plumb in front with a super in-swinger.
Charith Asalanka fell for a golden duck, driving uppishly straight to extra cover. Dhananajaya De Silva scored a boundary off the hat-trick ball but nicked behind in the next ball to make it 12 for 5 at the end of 5 overs.
Photos – Sri Lanka practice session ahead of Final against India | Asia Cup 2023
Skipper Dasun Shanaka’s terrible form continued when he was castled by Siraj in his next over with a peach of a delivery as the hosts were 6 down for 12.
Dunith Wellalage and Kusal Mendis added 21 runs before the latter became Siraj’s sixth wicket. Hardik Pandya joined the party to bounce out Wellalage for 8 before he cleaned up the tail to ensure India had a paltry 51 runs to chase. Siraj ended with figures of 6 for 21 in 7 overs.
Indian openers Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan had no troubles whatsoever to cruise through to victory to the much disappointment of a packed Stadium.
It’s also India’s first time to bowl out their opponents in less than 100 balls. Also, it’s the lowest match aggregate (101 runs) involving these two teams in an ODI match.
Sri Lanka’s score of 50 is the lowest-ever score by a team in ODIs in Sri Lanka, the lowest-ever score in ODIs versus India and the second-lowest in ODIs for Sri Lanka.
This is India’s 8th Asia Cup title. Kuldeep Yadav won the Player of the Series and Siraj was named Player of the Final.
Before the World Cup begins in 3 weeks, this type of performance would surely dent Sri Lanka’s confidence levels.
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Result
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pathum Nissanka | c Ravindra Jadeja b Mohammed Siraj | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Kusal Perera | c KL Rahul b Jasprit Bumrah | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Kusal Mendis | b Mohammed Siraj | 17 | 34 | 3 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Sadeera Samarawickrama | lbw b Mohammed Siraj | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Charith Asalanka | c Ishan Kishan b Mohammed Siraj | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Dhananjaya de Silva | c KL Rahul b Mohammed Siraj | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 200.00 |
| Dasun Shanaka | b Mohammed Siraj | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Dunith Wellalage | c KL Rahul b Hardik Pandya | 8 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 38.10 |
| Dushan Hemantha | not out | 13 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 86.67 |
| Pramod Madushan | c Virat Kohli b Hardik Pandya | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 16.67 |
| Matheesha Pathirana | c Ishan Kishan b Hardik Pandya | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Extras | 5 (b 0 , lb 2 , nb 0, w 3, pen 0) |
| Total | 50/10 (15.2 Overs, RR: 3.26) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jasprit Bumrah | 5 | 1 | 23 | 1 | 4.60 | |
| Mohammed Siraj | 7 | 1 | 21 | 6 | 3.00 | |
| Hardik Pandya | 2.2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1.36 | |
| Kuldeep Yadav | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1.00 | |
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ishan Kishan | not out | 23 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 127.78 |
| Shubman Gill | not out | 27 | 19 | 6 | 0 | 142.11 |
| Extras | 1 (b 0 , lb 1 , nb 0, w 0, pen 0) |
| Total | 51/0 (6.1 Overs, RR: 8.27) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pramod Madushan | 2 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 10.50 | |
| Matheesha Pathirana | 2 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 10.50 | |
| Dunith Wellalage | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3.50 | |
| Charith Asalanka | 0.1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10.00 | |
