Team India’s star pacer Mohammed Siraj left the Sri Lankan crowd stunned as he picked four wickets in only his second over, delivering blows after blows as Sri Lanka’s top-order crumbled early in the Asia Cup final on Saturday. Following a brief rain delay after opting to bat in Colombo, the right-arm pacer exploited the overcast conditions to optimum effect, sending shock waves through the Sri Lankan team management after his fast bowling partner Jasprit Bumrah struck the first blow in the opening over of the match.
Siraj made a significant impact early in the fourth over, starting with the dismissal of Pathum Nissanka on the very first delivery. Nissanka went for an aggressive shot, and Ravindra Jadeja, positioned behind square, pulled off a spectacular diving catch to send the batter back to the pavilion for just two runs. But that was only the beginning of troubles for the Sri Lankans.
Siraj clicked 143kph on the next delivery that was marginally outside off, as Samarawickrama defends it to no harm. However, on the very next ball, Siraj bowled to Sadeera Samarawickrama, delivering a full-length ball that moved sharply into the right-hander. Samarawickrama misjudged the line, and the ball struck his pad in front of the middle stump. Although Samarawickrama opted for a review, it was unsuccessful as the ball was shown to be hitting the top of the leg stump.
With three balls still left in the over, Siraj continued to wreak havoc on the Sri Lankan batting order. He claimed his third wicket in the over by dismissing Charith Asalanka, who had been the hero of the previous match against Pakistan but was sent back without scoring a run. Asalanka chipped the ball straight to Ishan Kishan at the covers boundary, leaving Sri Lanka in a state of disarray.
Although Siraj narrowly missed a hat-trick as Sri Lanka managed to find a boundary, he wrapped up the over with another wicket. Dhananjaya da Silva attempted an overly aggressive shot on an outswinger, offering a straightforward catch to wicketkeeper KL Rahul.
Watch the incredible over from the right-arm pacer:
Siraj takes fifer
With an unforgettable over in Colombo, Siraj also etched his name in record books as the first Indian to take four wickets in an over in ODIs. In his very next over, Siraj also took his fifth wicket, leaving Sri Lanka in tatters. He completed his fifer in just 2.4 overs, which is the fastest by an Indian as well. Additionally, Siraj also became the first India to take a five-wicket haul in Asia Cup final.
The Indian bowler didn’t end there, further adding a sixth wicket to the tally when he castled Kusal Mendis on 17. The pacer bowled a fast inswinger and the Sri Lankan batter missed the line as went for a glory drive. Sri Lanka were bowled for merely 50 in 15.4 overs, with Hardik Pandya picking the remaining three wickets of the innings.
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