In the final of the 2023 Asia Cup at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium, Mohammed Siraj’s exceptional performance saw him pick up four wickets in a single over, cementing his position as the fourth-fastest Indian bowler to reach the 50-wicket milestone in ODI cricket.
Mohammed Siraj began his spell with a composed maiden over, capitalizing on the early breakthrough provided by Jasprit Bumrah, who dismissed Sri Lanka’s opener Kusal Perera in the very first over. Siraj then etched his name in tournament history with an over for the ages, securing four wickets to decimate Sri Lanka’s batting lineup.
His spellbinding performance commenced with the dismissal of opener Pathum Nissanka, complemented by a spectacular catch from Ravindra Jadeja at backward point.
In the third ball of the over, Siraj claimed the prized scalp of the in-form Sadeera Samarawickrama, sending him back lbw.
Continuing his magical over, he enticed Charith Asalanka to drive, safely caught by Ishan Kishan. Though a boundary marred his over briefly, Siraj returned triumphantly as Dhananjaya de Silva fell to a caught-behind, leaving Sri Lanka staggered at a woeful 12 for 5.
W . W W 4 W! 🥵
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The #TeamIndia bowlers are breathing 🔥
4️⃣ wickets in the over! A comeback on the cards for #SriLanka?
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Returning for a second spell in the fifth over, Siraj’s precision led to the clean bowled dismissal of Sri Lanka’s skipper Dasun Shanaka, marking a momentous milestone with his maiden five-wicket haul in ODIs.
India dominated the Super-4 stage, with a massive 228-run victory over Pakistan and a hard-fought 41-run win against Sri Lanka. However, their undefeated streak in the Asia Cup came to an end with a loss to Bangladesh, their first since 2012. In the final, Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka chose to bat first after winning the toss.
Both India and Sri Lanka encountered significant injury setbacks leading up to the final, with Sri Lanka appearing to be more adversely affected. India’s Axar Patel was ruled out for this match and potentially for the forthcoming series against Australia, prompting the call-up of Washington Sundar as cover. On the Sri Lankan side, the loss of their primary spinner, Mahesh Theekshana, for the remainder of the tournament was a blow. Sri Lanka remains hopeful for Theekshana’s return for the World Cup next month.
Last Updated on September 17, 2023
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