India Beats Sri Lanka by 10 Wickets in Asia Cup 2023 Final, Mohammed Siraj Claims Career-Best Figures of 6-21
India won the Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka by ten wickets in what turned out to be a literally one sided match at R. Premadasa Stadium on Sunday. The home side, in front of its flamboyant fans, was bowled out for 50 runs, and Indian openers Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill chased down the target in just 6.1 overs to secure the victory.
Kishan finished off the run chase with a single off part-time spinner Charith Asalanka, and the rain-affected tournament’s final which was expected to be a thriller ended in just 22 bowled overs and pretty much it was a story of men vs boys.
The elated India captain Rohit Sharma praised his team’s performance in the Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka, saying that it showed their mental character. He commended their great start with the ball and clinical finish with the bat, and stated that the performance from the pacers, led by Mohammed Siraj, will be remembered by fans of the sport in the country for a very long time.
Rohit Sharma acknowledged the significance of playing high-pressure matches. However, the final looked like only Sri Lanka were under pressure and succumbed to it without even giving a fight. The Super 4 clash between India and Sri Lanka was more interesting and competitive.
Mohammad Siraj’s Hostile Bowling Destroys Sri Lanka
Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj was the standout performer in the Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka, claiming career-best figures of 6-21. Siraj was just too good for Sri Lanka on finals day. All-rounder Hardik Pandya also contributed to the team’s success by taking three wickets to bowl out Sri Lanka for just 50 runs, which is the lowest total in an ODI final and Sri Lanka’s second-lowest total after its 43 all out against South Africa in Paarl in 2011.
Siraj expressed his satisfaction with his performance and stated that he had been bowling well for a long time, but he found his rhythm today. His dominance with the ball shows a great sign that India’s bowling attack is throughly prepared for the upcoming ODI World Cup.
In and all, the final was a exhibition of Indian pace attack’s confidence and ability to to the big damage. Jasprit Bumrah started the attack with dismissing opening batsman Kusal Perera for naught in the first over, and then Mohammed Siraj took over, claiming four wickets in his second over, becoming the first Indian bowler to do so.
Pathum Nissanka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, and Dhananjaya de Silva all fell in the space of six deliveries as Siraj wrecked Sri Lanka’s innings in a manic over. Siraj then bowled captain Dasun Shanaka in his next over to reduce Sri Lanka to 12 for six. He had a sixth wicket by cleaning up Kusal Mendis. Mendis’ 17 was the top score in Sri Lanka’s innings in a dismal display as five batters were dismissed without scoring.
The entire Sri Lankan batting order looked helpless, vanquished and humiliated for the reason of their unpreparedness. Siraj and Pandya took wickets by setting up batters with ease. Mohammed Siraj’s six for 21 is now the fourth-best bowling figures by an Indian bowler in ODI cricket.
After a rain interrupted delay in the finals, Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bowl first on a wicket that was expected to assist spin bowling, but it was the Indian quicks who ran through the Sri Lankan batting in front of a full house of 35,000 fans who went through agony, witnessing the utter fall of their team.
