NEW DELHI, 17 SEPTEMBER: In yet another significant victory, India clinched the coveted Asia Cup title for the eighth time on Sunday, beating Sri Lanka. Led by Rohit Sharma, the men in blue dominated the final with their impeccable performance, particularly their dazzling fast bowling attack, which paved the way for the country’s success.
Siraj’s brutal spell devastates Sri Lanka in the final:
After being put in the field, the Indian bowlers presented a fierce challenge to the Sri Lankan batsmen, who struggled greatly. The new ball pair of Bumrah and Siraj tore through the Sri Lankan top order in the final, dismissing them predominantly within the first 10 overs. Bumrah started the onslaught by picking up a wicket in the third ball of the match, while it was Mohammed Siraj who wreaked havoc, finishing with career-best figures of 6 wickets for just 21 runs in his 7 overs. Following Siraj’s brilliance, it was Hardik Pandya who shouldered the responsibility and bundled out Sri Lanka for a mere 50 runs.
Meanwhile, in the chase, Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill were sent out to open, and the duo managed to complete the chase in just 6.1 overs, marking India’s highest victory margin in terms of balls remaining in ODIs.
Captain Rohit Sharma, speaking of the team’s victory, said, “To come out and play like that in the final shows the mental character. A great start with the ball and a clinical finish with the bat. It was good to see that. Siraj deserves a lot of credit; it’s rare for seamers to move the ball in the air and off the pitch. We achieved everything we could as a team in this tournament. The way Hardik and Ishan batted in that pressure situation against Pakistan, and then KL and Virat getting hundreds, and the way Gill has been batting. The guys have stood up at various stages.”
Well played, Team India!
As India secured the coveted title, leaders from across the political spectrum congratulated Rohit Sharma’s team.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), PM Modi said, “Well played Team India! Congratulations on winning the Asia Cup. Our players have displayed remarkable skill throughout the tournament.”
Hailing the team’s masterclass bowling display, especially the performance by Mohammed Siraj, Union Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur said, “Congratulations to the Indian Cricket Team for a resounding victory in the #AsiaCup2023 final, securing the Title for a record-breaking 8th time. Our boys delivered a masterclass in bowling against Sri Lanka, led by Mohammed Siraj, who took a sensational 6 wickets, including 4 in a single over.”
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also expressed his happiness about India’s resounding performance. “Congratulations to #TeamIndia for winning the Asia Cup Final. It was a superb victory against Sri Lanka. An outstanding bowling performance by Team India, especially Mohammed Siraj’s excellent bowling. Overall, a memorable victory,” he said.
