Mohammad Siraj hits Sri Lanka for a six as India lift Asia Cup 2023 title

Hosts bundled out for just 50 after stunning opening spell by Siraj as Indians coast to 10-wicket win

India's Mohammad Siraj picked up six wickets to set up a comprehensive win over Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup 2023 final at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday, September 17, 2023. AFP

India players celebrate with the Asia Cup 2023 trophy after defeating Sri Lanka by 10 wickets in the final. Reuters

Sri Lanka's captain Dasun Shanaka is clean bowled by Mohammad Siraj. AFP

India's Mohammad Siraj, centre, picked up six wickets to help bowl Sri Lanka out for just 50. AFP

Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis is bowled by Mohammad Siraj. AP

India players celebrate the wicket of Sri Lanka's Dhananjaya de Silva. AFP

India players exult after the dismissal of Charith Asalanka. AFP

India's Mohammed Siraj (L) celebrates after taking the wicket of Sri Lanka's Dhananjaya de Silva during the Asia Cup 2023 final one-day international (ODI) cricket match between Sri Lanka and India at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on September 17, 2023. (Photo by FAROOQ NAEEM / AFP)

India's Hardik Pandya picked up three wickets to finish the innings. AP

Fast bowler Mohammad Siraj turned the Asia Cup final into a one-sided contest as India dismissed the hosts for just 50 before sealing a 10-wicket win to lift the 50-over trophy in Colombo on Sunday.

Sri Lanka batted first in overcast conditions after the match was delayed due to rain before start of play. However, the conditions soon became almost unplayable as India's new-ball bowlers Mohammad Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah made the ball talk.

Bumrah got opener Kusal Perera out caught behind in the opening over to give India the perfect start. From there, it was the Siraj show.

The right-arm quick settled the contest in the fourth over of the match as he picked up four top order wickets, reducing the hosts to a scarcely believable 12-5.

Siraj was getting late movement in and away from the batsmen, and he made the most of every single ball of a terrific opening spell.

Siraj got Pathum Nissanka caught at point for two and then struck on successive balls to send back Sadeera Samarawickrama (0) and Charith Asalanka (0), but a hat-trick was averted.

Dhananjaya de Silva hit a boundary but Siraj had him caught behind with the next ball, effectively ending the contest.

The hammer blow came in his next over as Siraj bowled a leg cutter to uproot the off stump of Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka.

Siraj equalled the ODI record for a bowler's fastest five-wicket haul from his first 16 balls of the match as the hosts were staring down the barrel at 12-6.

Kusal Mendis hit three boundaries before becoming Siraj's sixth wicket, although Sri Lanka avoided the lowest-ever ODI total of 35 by Zimbabwe.

All-rounder Hardik Pandya then came on to complete the formalities as he took three wickets to wrap up the innings in just 90 minutes of play. Siraj finished with sensational figures of 6-21, four of which were the result of an overthrow for a boundary.

The target of 51 was never going to bother the visitors. The new opening pair of Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan knocked off the runs in 6.1 overs.

"It's like a dream," Siraj, who became only the fourth bowler to take four wickets in an over in ODIs, said after the Sri Lanka innings.

"I got four early wickets last time I played Sri Lanka [earlier this year] but unfortunately I could not register a five-wicket haul.

"I realised you get whatever is in your destiny. I just tried to bowl my line and length, and wickets kept coming.

"The ball did not swing much in the early matches here but today it swung a lot. My effort was to draw the batters forward and make them play the ball."

Sri Lanka coach Chris Silverwood struggled to explain his team's batting performance. It was the lowest total in an ODI final and Sri Lanka’s second lowest total after its 43 all out against South Africa in Paarl in 2011.

"The way we got dismissed is very disappointing. I think there's a lot of reflection to be done in the dressing room," he said.

"I thought Siraj was superb. The Indian bowlers made our life difficult but, at the same time, I think we made our own life difficult as well."

India host Australia in a three-match ODI series next up before all teams head to India for the ODI World Cup which begins in Ahmedabad on October 5.