Siraj sizzles as India win Asia Cup for eighth time

COLOMBO: India claimed the Asia Cup title for the eighth time after an emphatic 10-wicket win over hosts Sri Lanka in the final at the R Premadasa Stadium on Sunday.

Mohammed Siraj’s fiery spell that earned him six wickets, including four in one over, saw the hosts bundled out for a paltry 50.

India openers Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill then finished the chase in 6.1 overs to make it the third-shortest full-length ODI ever. It lasted all of 129 legal deliveries.

Sensational seam-bowling performance, and freakishly most good balls took an edge and every edge went to hand as Sri Lanka were decimated to be all out in 15.2 overs.

Siraj brought Sri Lanka down to their knees in just the first six overs of the match by picking a five-wicket haul. Jasprit Bumrah started off with a wicket off the third ball and then Siraj just blew the top off the opposition's batting lineup by taking four wickets in the fourth over alone.

He then came back and dismissed Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka, thus completing his five-wicket haul in just his second over.

Sri Lanka were thus left reeling at 12/6 in 5.4 overs at that point. The nightmare continued for the home side and Siraj went on record figures of 6/21, the best by any bowler in an ODI against Sri Lanka.

Hardik Pandya got three wickets, wiping off the Sri Lankan innings with two back to back wickets in the first two balls of the 16th over.

Sri Lanka’s 50 was their second lowest score ever in ODIs.

Sri Lanka had won the toss and chose to bat first. However, the game ended up getting delayed by 40 minutes due to rain.