Asia Cup 2023, Final, India vs Sri Lanka: Mohammed Siraj’s 6-21 and Hardik Pandya’s 3-3 are top performances. India beat Sri Lanka by 10 wickets and won 8th Asia Cup title.
Brief scores: India 51/0 (Shubman Gill 27 not out, Ishan Kishan 23 not out) beats Sri Lanka 50 all out (Kusal Mendis 17, Mohammed Siraj 6/21) by 10 wickets.
Player of the Match: Mohammed Siraj (6-21)
Player of the Series: Kuldeep Yadav (9 Wickets)
Mohammed Siraj produced his career-best ODI figures 6/21 to help India beat Sri Lanka by 10 wickets in the 2023 Asia Cup final on Sunday at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Siraj’s performance helped India bowl out Sri Lanka for just 50 in 15.2 overs before wrapping up the chase in just 6.1 overs without losing a wicket. This was India’s eighth Asia Cup title across formats.
Talking point from IND vs SL, Asia Cup Final
With all due credit to Siraj for bowling exceptionally well to take 6/21, Sri Lanka batters, too, played their roles in their dismissals as they batted poorly and played poor shots against the swinging balls. Sri Lankan batters did not apply themselves and didn’t look to bide time for the pitch to settle down and then take on the Indian bowlers later. Overall, Sri Lankan batters had an off day, with Siraj breaking the backbone of their line-up.
Siraj destroys Sri Lanka with 6/21
It was a good toss to win for Sri Lanka, as chasing at the R Premadasa Stadium under lights is challenging. But that’s the only success Sri Lanka had on the day as the Indian bowling attack, led by Mohammed Siraj’s 6/21, blew them away for 50 all out in 15.2 overs. Jasprit Bumrah drew first blood by having Sri Lankan opener Kusal Perera caught behind in the first over. It was just the beginning of the carnage to follow. Coming to bowl his second over, Siraj took four wickets as Sri Lankan slumped to 12/5 in 4 overs. In his third over, Siraj took another Sri Lankan wicket to become the joint-fastest to a five-wicket haul in ODIs. Siraj ended up with 6/21, with the rest of the wickets shared by Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya. For the record, five Sri Lankan batsmen were dismissed for ducks.
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Gill-Kishan takes India past the finish line
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma did not come out to bat and instead sent Ishan Kishan to partner Shubman Gill to open the innings. The two were hardly in trouble as they easily found the gaps to slam a few easy fours to take India home past the target of 51 in just 6.1 overs. Gill ended up with 27 not out, while Kishan remained not out on 23.
Let’s scan the top performances between India and Sri Lanka in the 2023 Asia Cup final
Mohammed Siraj’s fiery 6/21
It looked like India bowlers, especially Mohammed Siraj, had saved their best for the Asia Cup 2023 final. Siraj had a day to remember as he bagged his best ODI figures of 6/21. He began the carnage in the fourth over of the Sri Lankan innings when Siraj took 4 wickets. The highlight of Siraj’s performance was how he used the pitch and variations to good effect. Realizing swing was on offer, he bowled full and let the ball do all the talking. He got five of his six wickets bowling on the slot.
On the first ball of his second over, Siraj got Pathum Nissanka to drive uppishly, with Ravindra Jadeja taking a brilliant catch at point. On the third ball, he had Sadeera Samarawickrama play across the line to be adjudged LBW. Charith Asalanka fell on the next ball, driving uppishly to Ishan Kishan. On the sixth ball, Siraj got his fourth wicket in Dhananjaya de Silva, who played a loose shot to edge it behind.
In his third over, Siraj returned to dismiss Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka, who bowled with a perfect outswinger on the line of stumps. Siraj bagged his sixth when he rattled the stumps of Kusal Mendis with a ball that nipped in after pitching.
Overall, it was a brilliant swing bowling from Siraj that won the match for India single-handedly.
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Jasprit Bumraj-Hardik Pandya’s 4-wicket haul
Although Siraj stole the show with his exploits with the ball, there were few supporting roles from Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya. It was Bumrah who gave India the first breakthrough. Bumrah got Kusal Perera to nick it behind to an awaygoing delivery. Bowling alongside Siraj, Bumrah ensured there was no release of the pressure as Siraj just bamboozled batters with his variations and purchase from the wicket. Later, Hardik Pandya ensured the Sri Lankan tail did not wag as he took 3/3 to wrap the Sri Lankan innings quickly for just 50. First, Pandya had Dunith Wellalage nicked it to the keeper off a short ball. No 10 and No 11 Sri Lankan batsmen were just easy fodder for Pandya, who dismissed them on his first two balls of his third over.
Records from India vs Sri Lanka, Asia Cup 2023 Final
- Siraj has become the first Indian bowler to take four wickets in an over in an ODI.
- Siraj holds the record for the fastest five-wicket haul in an ODI in 16 balls, along with Sri Lankan pacer Chaminda Vaas.
- Siraj now holds the best bowling figures by an Indian in the Asia Cup, beating the previous best of 5/21 by Arshad Ayub.
- Sri Lanka’s 50-all-out is the lowest ODI score in the Asia Cup, beating Bangladesh’s previous lowest score of 87 against Pakistan in 2000.
- This was India’s seventh Asia Cup win in ODIs. Sri Lanka has five ODI Asia Cup titles, and Pakistan has won two. Overall, India has won 8 Asia Cup titles across formats.
- Siraj’s 6/21 is now the joint-best ODI bowling figures by an Indian bowler. The list is topped by Stuart Binny, who took 6/4 against Bangladesh in 2014.
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