India lifted the Asia Cup after five years by beating Sri Lanka comprehensively on Sunday, 17 September, courtesy of a remarkable spell from Mohammed Siraj. The Indian speedster produced the performance of his life, picking up six wickets by conceding only 21 runs, as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 50 at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
Batting first, the Lankans got off to a calamitous start with Jasprit Bumrah sending Kusal Perera back for a duck. From then onwards, however, it was all about the Siraj Show.
Starting off with a maiden, Siraj scalped four wickets in his second over – becoming the first-ever Indian to do so in an international game. The carnage commenced with the wicket of Pathum Nissanka, before he trapped the in-form Sadeera Samarawickrama in his third delivery.
In the very next delivery, another in-form batter, Charith Asalanka was lured into a drive and ended up losing his wicket, whilst Dhananjaya de Silva completed the quartet in the last delivery of the over.
On his third over, Siraj dismantled the opposition skipper, Dasun Shanaka’s stumps with an exceptional outswinger. The Hyderabad-born pacer completed thus completed his fifer in only 16 deliveries – joint-fastest by a bowler in this format of the game, alongside Chaminda Vaas.
Siraj’s havoc concluded with the wicket of Sri Lanka’s last recognised batter still unbeaten, Kusal Mendis, who fell prey to an inswinger and ended up exposing his stumps.
The pair of Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan chased the total down in only 6.1 overs, but for today, there is only star to have the limelight on, which happens to be Mohammed Siraj.
Here’s how players and fans reacted to his spell:
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