Finance
Mohammed Siraj became only the second bowler after Ajantha Mendis to take a six-fer in a men’s ODI Asia Cup final, picking 6-21 in a devastating run of bowling as India bowled out Sri Lanka for 50 in the title match at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Sunday.
Following a rain delay, play resumed at 3:40 p.m., with Siraj getting tremendous aid from movement off the pitch, making the ball talk both ways and leaving Sri Lanka batsmen perplexed as he picked up a fantastic career-best 6-21 in seven overs, including four scalps in his second over of the game.
Apart from Siraj, who became the first Indian bowler to take four wickets in as many balls, Hardik Pandya took three wickets and Jasprit Bumrah had a lone scalp as the Indian fast-bowlers bowled out Sri Lanka for their second-lowest ODI total ever and their lowest score ever against India.
Bumrah initiated India’s charge with a fiery start, convincing Kusal Perera to chase a wide, away-swinging delivery. The left-handed batter subsequently nicked the ball behind to wicketkeeper K.L. Rahul, who swiftly moved to his left. Following this, Siraj took the stage, delivering six precise outswingers and leaving the batsmen baffled, narrowly missing the stumps four times in his opening over.
Siraj produced an outswinger on the first ball of his second over, and Pathum Nissanka could drive only to backward point, where Ravindra Jadeja moved to his right to complete the catch. A dot ball later, Siraj trapped Sadeera Samawickrama lbw with a sharp nip-backer beating the inside edge and striking the batter in front of stumps.
Charith Asalanka chipped the first ball he faced straight to cover-point on the next ball. Dhananjaya de Silva avoided a hat-trick after blasting Siraj past mid-on for four. Siraj, on the other hand, had the last laugh when de Silva pushed at an outswinger, giving a small edge behind to capture a catch.
Siraj took five wickets in 16 balls by using late movement on a fuller delivery to swing past Dasun Shanaka’s outside edge and send the off-stump cartwheeling.
Seeing the devastation from the other end, Kusal Mendis attempted to resurrect Sri Lanka’s innings from 12/6 by hitting two boundaries square of the off-side against Bumrah.
However, Siraj picked up his sixth wicket by getting one to nip back in from outside off and castle Mendis through the gate, giving him the highest stats by a fast bowler in the men’s ODI Asia Cup.
Pandya entered the list of wicket-takers by bouncing out Dunith Wellalage, allowing Rahul to take a straightforward catch on the top edge. He grabbed the final two wickets to conclude Sri Lanka’s innings at 50 from 92 balls.
IND 51/0 (6.1) 
SL 50/10 (15.2) R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
