India is on track to win the 2023 Asia Cup thanks in large part to Mohammed Siraj’s six-wicket destruction of an incompetent Sri Lanka.
India win Asia Cup 2023: India won the Asia Cup for the eighth time by successfully completing the required 51 runs in 6.1 overs without losing a single wicket.
Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan, India’s new opening duo, carried the momentum and crushed the Sri Lankan bowlers to write a statement victory for the reigning world champions.
In the Asia Cup 2023 final, Kishan struck 23 not out in 18 balls, while Gill led India with a 19-ball 27 that included six boundaries.
Sri Lanka’s batting order suffered a complete collapse, resulting in their dismissal for a paltry 51 in the sixteenth over after opting to bat first.
With just one run scored, the home team lost their opener Kusal Perera (0) in the first over.
After that, Mohammed Siraj completely destroyed Sri Lanka by taking four wickets in the fourth over, including Pathum Nissanka (2), Sadeera Samarawickrama (0), Charith Asalanka (0), and Dhananjaya de Silva (4), leaving Sri Lanka at 12/5.
After Siraj destroyed Sri Lanka, they were unable to bounce back, and he returned to further their woes by removing captain Dasun Shanaka in his subsequent over and completed his five-fer.
Before Siraj struck again, Sri Lanka’s wicketkeeper batsman Kusal Mendis and Dunith Wellalage formed the highest partnership of the Asia Cup 2023 final for the home team.
“Sri Lanka Sets New Record Low with 50-Run Total in Asia Cup Final”
Kusal Mendis continued to lead Sri Lanka in scoring with a 34-ball 17 that included three boundaries.
Hardik Pandya removed the Sri Lankan batting tail after Siraj’s dominance to put the icing on the cake.
After removing Dunith Wellalage (8) and Pramod Madushan (1) and Matheesha Pathirana (0) in his subsequent over, he ended Sri Lanka’s miserable innings.
With an undefeated score of 13 off 15 balls, young all-rounder Dushan Hemantha continued to be the only other Sri Lankan batsman to reach double figures after Kusal Mendis.
Notably, Sri Lanka’s 50-run total has now surpassed Bangladesh’s 87-run total against Pakistan in 2000 to become the team with the lowest total in Asia Cup history.
The 50 runs Sri Lanka scored in the tournament final are also the lowest men’s ODI total ever. Additionally, Sri Lanka has been dismissed for less than 100 runs in ODIs three times this year.
In the Asia Cup 2023 final, Mohammed Siraj led India’s bowling assault with a 6/21, followed by Hardik Pandya’s 3/3 and Jasprit Bumrah’s one wicket.