Asia Cup Final:
Sri Lanka was all-out for only 50 runs, while Mohammed Siraj of India claimed a career-high 6-21 wickets, including four in one over.
India defeated champion Sri Lanka by 10 wickets at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday, winning the Asia Cup for the record eighth time, with Mohammed Siraj claiming a career-best 6-21, including four wickets in a single over.
Facing a field filled with 35,000 fans on Sunday, Sri Lanka’s team came down to a mere 50 runs in 15.2 overs, with five batsmen getting out for a duck, led by Siraj.
Siraj’s excellent display of fast bowling came in his second over, as the right-arm bowler quickly dismissed Pathum Nissanka, Sadira Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, and Dhananjaya de Silva.
Hardik Pandya also secured three wickets, while Jasprit Bumrah took one, resulting in Sri Lanka recording their second-lowest score in a One Day International (ODI), lasting only 92 balls.
India needed just 6.1 overs to chase the target to secure a lead ahead of their upcoming home World Cup next month.
In the first over itself, Bumrah dismissed Kusal Perera, sending Sri Lanka’s batsmen into disarray as Siraj put on a spectacular performance with the new ball.
For the home team, only Kusal Mendis (17) and Dushmantha Hemanta, who managed to score 13 runs, managed to reach double figures.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma kept himself at bay and sent Ishan Kishan to open alongside Shubman Gill.
The opening batsmen ensured there were no dramas and Kishan, who scored 23 unbeaten runs, struck the winning runs in just 21.3 overs.
Gill remained unbeaten with 27 runs.
Sri Lanka and India had reached the Asia Cup final, while Pakistan and Bangladesh were eliminated in the Super Four stage. Afghanistan and Nepal failed to progress beyond the initial stage.
After this match, India will host Australia in a three-match ODI series, with the teams clashing again on October 8 in Chennai for the opening match of the World Cup.
Disappointed Sri Lankan coach Chris Silverwood said his team faced high-quality bowling attack but should have put up a better performance.
“It’s been a disappointing performance. The way we got out was quite disappointing. There’s a lot of work to be done right now.”