India clinched their eighth Asia Cup title, defeating Sri Lanka in this year’s final by 10 wickets, at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday. Initially, the hosts won the toss and opted to bat. But Mohammed Siraj was in fiery form and bagged a record six-wicket haul as Sri Lanka were decimated for 50 runs in 15.2 overs.
Siraj was devastating for Sri Lanka’s batting order, and completed his five-wicket haul in only 16 balls, before reaching his record six-fer. He ended with figures of 6/21 in seven overs. Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya bagged three wickets for Rohit Sharma and Co.
Commenting on India’s bowling display, legend Sunil Gavaskar hailed Jasprit Bumrah for complementing Siraj’s aggressive display. Comparing India’s new ball attack to Pakistan, he also labelled Siraj as a bowler ‘who gives everything’.
“Honestly, I can’t recall when we had something like that. But it just tells you the quality of the new ball attack, that India have. A lot of times, people talk about Pakistan‘s new ball attack. But I think this Indian new ball attack, with Bumrah coming back. Bumrah might not have got the wickets, but he kept the pressure on. Don’t forget, we have someone like Mohammed Shami, who is not playing in the XI. So it just tells you that the reserve India has, as far as pace bowling is concerned”, he said, while speaking to India Today.
“Mohammed Siraj deserves all the praise. I also love the way everybody in the Indian team was laughing when he having taken those wickets, he chased the ball to the boundary. Just shows the energy of the man, the enthusiasm of the man to be totally involved. He is one of those cricketers, who gives every ball, everything”, he further added.
Meanwhile, 2011 World Cup winner Virender Sehwag also joined the bandwagon and lavished plenty of praise on Siraj. Taking to Twitter, he wrote, “Too good. 21 overs in the match and done and dusted. Mohammad Siraj was simply outstanding and we have peaked at the right time before the World Cup. Congratulations Team on winning the Asia Cup.”lso Read
Chasing a target of 51 runs, India captain Rohit sacrificed his opening slot to Ishan Kishan, who was in dire need of confidence and runs. Kishan repaid Rohit’s trust with an unbeaten knock of 23 runs off 18 balls, packed with three fours as India reached 51/0 in 6.1 overs. Meanwhile, his opening partner Shubman Gill remained unbeaten with a knock of 27 off 19 deliveries, also smacking six fours.
Shubman Gill finished as the tournament’s highest run-scorer with 275 runs in five matches. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s Matheesha Pathirana ended his campaign as the highest wicket-taker with 11 scalps in five games.
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