Mohammed Siraj shines with fastest 5-wicket haul in Asia Cup final

In the highly anticipated Asia Cup final clash against Sri Lanka, Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj delivered a breathtaking performance, etching his name in the record books with the fastest 5-wicket haul in ODIs. The final, held on Sunday, witnessed a remarkable display of skill and precision as Siraj bowled a maiden over and then struck four times in a single over, leaving Sri Lanka in disarray at a staggering 12/5 by the end of the 4th over. Siraj’s explosive over commenced with the dismissal of Pathum Nissanka (2), thanks to a stunning catch by Ravindra Jadeja, who dove to his right for the grab. Without missing a beat, Siraj proceeded to dismiss Sadeera Samarawickrama (0) and Charith Asalanka (0) consecutively in the same over. He concluded his phenomenal spell by claiming the wicket of Dhananjaya de Silva (4).

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In his subsequent over, Siraj accomplished the remarkable feat of a five-wicket haul by clean-bowling Dasun Shanaka (0). This performance equals Chaminda Vaas’ record of achieving five wickets in just 16 balls during the 2003 World Cup. Moreover, Mohammed Siraj’s outstanding bowling also secured him the second-best bowling figures in the history of the Asia Cup. Notably, he further etched his name in the annals of Indian cricket by becoming the highest wicket-taker in the first 10 overs of an ODI match for India since 2002.

Read More: ICC ODI World Cup 2023 Schedule

In a pivotal clash where Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first, the stage was set for a gripping encounter between the two sides, both vying for another Asia Cup title. Amidst the backdrop of intermittent rain, Sri Lanka faced India in the 50-over tournament final. The Sri Lankan squad underwent one change, with all-rounder Dushan Hemantha replacing the injured Maheesh Theekshana. Rain disruptions have plagued the tournament, a precursor to the ODI World Cup, with forecasts indicating potential interruptions on the final day.

India have a straightforward chase of only 50 runs and expect Gill and Ishan to chance down the target comfortably.