He picked up five wickets in just 16 balls
In a jaw-dropping display of bowling mastery, Mohammed Siraj left spectators at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo awestruck as India stormed to their record-extending eighth Asia Cup title.
The final of Asia Cup 2023 witnessed an epic showdown as India utterly outplayed Sri Lanka, ultimately securing a resounding victory by 10 wickets.
When the coin was tossed, skipper Dasun Shanaka of Sri Lanka chose to set a target, a decision that would soon haunt his team.
In a mere seven overs, Siraj conjured magic on the field, delivering a scintillating performance with figures of six for 21.
The Rohit Sharma-led side made sure that Sri Lanka’s innings crumbled at a mere 50 runs.
The awe-inspiring highlight of the match was Siraj’s sensational spell.
He picked up five wickets in just 16 balls, a feat that now etches his name into the annals of ODI cricket history as one of the joint-fastest wicket-takers ever.
He didn’t stand alone in this spectacular show.
Jasprit Bumrah delivered the first blow, paving the way for Siraj’s breathtaking performance that dismantled the opposition’s batting lineup.
Sri Lanka found themselves in disarray at a dismal 12/6 in 5.4 overs.
Siraj’s final tally of 6/21 secured his place as the best bowler ever in an ODI against Sri Lanka.
In their chase of a meager 51 runs, Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan held their composure, guiding India to a comfortable victory in just seven overs.
This triumph not only handed India their eighth Asia Cup but also left Sri Lanka trailing with six such victories to their name.
This remarkable clash was not without its challenges, as rain delayed the game by 40 minutes.
Despite India missing key bowlers, a mix of young talents and experienced part-timers made scoring against Sri Lanka a daunting task.
Kusal Mendis shone with the bat for Sri Lanka, but their recent history against India was not in their favour.
India, with stars like Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Virat Kohli in their ranks, appeared stronger than ever.
Both teams faced injury setbacks leading up to the final, with Sri Lanka possibly bearing the brunt of it.
Axar Patel’s absence for India in this match, and potentially for the upcoming series against Australia, led to the inclusion of Washington Sundar as cover.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka suffered a significant blow with the loss of their frontline spinner, Mahesh Theekshana, for the rest of the tournament.
Sri Lanka remained hopeful of Theekshana’s return for the World Cup in October, while Sundar’s selection in India’s second-string squad for the Asian Games made his inclusion in the World Cup squad uncertain.
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