Mohammed Siraj on fire as India wallop Sri Lanka in Asia Cup final

Sri Lanka somehow managed to avoid their lowest total of 43 in ODIs as they painfully trudged to a humiliating 50 all out in 15.2 overs and just about saved their record of quickest chases in the format by stretching India to 6.1 overs in the final of the Asia Cup in Colombo on Sunday.

That was perhaps the only positive, the co-host could derive from the summit clash as they were walloped by 10 wickets to lose in a game that lasted just 129 balls, the third shortest after 104 balls during Nepal-USA in Kirtipur in 2020 and 120 balls during Sri Lanka-Zimbabwe in Colombo in 2001. 

Mohammed Siraj, the sturdy pacer from Hyderabad (Deccan), created a record of sorts as he ran through the Sri Lanka line-up picking five wickets in 16 balls, only the second to do so after Chaminda Vaas of Sri Lanka.

No one other than Siraj and Vaas (in 2003 World Cup vs Bangladesh) have taken so few deliveries to take their five wickets.

He also became the only Indian to take four wickets in an over of an ODI and even all international cricket.

India also created a record of winning with 263 balls left, which is India’s biggest in terms of balls remaining.

India now feature in two of the three 10-wicket wins in ODI tournament finals. The first was in 1998 against Zimbabwe at Sharjah. Australia are the only ones to do that besides India, winning by 10 wickets vs England in Sydney in 2003.

It was the match’s fourth over that wreaked havoc on Sri Lanka as Siraj picked four wickets in six balls, swallowing Pathum Nissanka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka and Dhananjaya de Silva. That reduced Sri Lanka to 12/5 and then Siraj returned in his third over and innings’ sixth to pick his fifth wicket by bowling Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka.

The first wicket of the innings was taken by Jasprit Bumrah.

Siraj also broke a partnership that was looking to re-establish Indian innings, bowling Kusal Mendis.  

“The pitch was helpful to seamers earlier, but today there was swing on offer to pacers. I thought I will bowl fuller lengths because of swing-friendly conditions,” said Siraj about the secret behind his success on Sunday.

This was India's record eighth Asia Cup title after wins in 1984, 1988, 1990, 1995, 2010, 2016 and 2018.

Sri Lanka had beaten Zimbabwe by nine wickets, and in 4.2 overs in 2001-02 season in Colombo for the quickest-ever chase. They then beat Canada by nine wickets, chasing in 4.4 overs during the 2003 World Cup in South Africa, for the second quickest chase.   

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