The Asia Cup reaches the ultimate stage in a battle for supremacy between Sri Lanka and India. The most successful teams locked horns in the R. Premadasa Stadium to win the most revered trophy of the continent. India looked to take their trophy tally to eight, whereas the hosts were on a mission to match their opponent’s trophy collection.
Team Lineups
Team India reverted to their full strength with Kohli, Kuldeep and Bumrah returning. Sri Lanka was forced to make one change as Hemantha replaced the injured Theekshana.
India
1. Rohit Sharma (Cap.) 2. Shubman Gill 3. Virat Kohli 4. KL Rahul 5. Ishan Kishan (WK) 6. Hardik Pandya 7. Ravindra Jadeja 8. Washington Sundar 9. Jasprit Bumrah 10. Kuldeep Yadav 11. Mohammed Siraj
Sri Lanka
1. Pathum Nissanka 2. Kusal Perera 3. Kusal Mendis (WK) 4. Sadeera Samarawickrama 5. Charith Asalanka 6. Dhananjaya de Silva 7. Dasun Shanaka (Cap.) 8. Dunith Wellalage 9. Dushan Hemantha 10. Pramod Madushan 11. Matheesha Pathirana
Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat first under overcast conditions.
Captaincy & Tactics
The pitch looked as if it would help the spinners later on, but the Sri Lankan innings ended with just a couple of overs from the spinners. Rohit Sharma could have taken Siraj out of the attack after his carnage with the white ball, rather he opted to bowl his match-winner for a level-over spell.
Indian pace bowlers were accurate from the beginning. They targeted the corridor of uncertainty just outside the off stump and took wickets for fun. The Sri Lankan batsmen looked nervous and tried to play out their trouble. They failed miserably in their task in a day of massive ignominy for Lankan cricket enthusiasts.
Batting Analysis
Apart from Kusal Mendis and Dushan Hemanth, other Sri Lankan batters failed to reach double figures. It was a batting performance that would haunt Sri Lankan cricket for years.
The Indian bowlers were impeccable, but the naivety shown by the Sri Lankan batters was simply not good enough at the international level. They looked nervous, feet not moving, hands going nowhere. Even Mendis is culpable of playing a wayward shot at getting out. This was their second-lowest total in ODI cricket.
Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill predictably came with all guns blazing and India reached their target within 37 balls.
Bowling Analysis
Mohammed Siraj has now the 2nd best figures in the Asia Cup, the joint quickest 4 wicket haul in ODI cricket, and the record of becoming the first bowler to take 4 wickets in a match.
Siraj was impeccable with his line and length and constantly asked questions with his accuracy. 6 for 13 does not leave much room for improvement but the bowler might feel unlucky not to get a wicket.
An emotionally devastated Lankan side came out to bowl and failed to take any wickets with their lackluster bowling.
Fielding Analysis
The Indians were in their usual form in the outfield. Jadeja showed his class through a brilliant catch at cover to dismiss Nissanka. Rahul and Kishan picked two catches each, and Kohli did not make any mistake when the ball ballooned towards him off the edge of Madushan’s bat.
Key Performances
There is just one man to talk about – Mohammed Siraj. The Indian quick bowler just ripped through the backbones of his opponents to finish the game with 129 balls. Hardik Pandya also performed spectacularly with three scalps. Only Mendis and Hemantha managed to get past 10 as the Sri Lankan innings had only 12% control over their innings.
Rohit Sharma and Shubhman Gill made sure there were no upsets on the cards by steering their country to victory in 37 balls. Rohit Sharma becomes the third captain to win the Asia Cup twice.
Turning Point
It was the fourth that changed the course of the 16th edition of the Asia Cup final. Sri Lanka was stifled and looking for a way out when Mohammed Siraj came to bowl his second over. The Hyderabadi simply sealed his name in cricketing folklore forever with an over from dreams. He induced a miscued shot from Nissanka towards Jadeja at the cover point.
Samarawickrama blocked the next ball. Siraj got another one on the very next ball by trapping Samarawickrama in front. Asalanka was bamboozled by the next delivery and chipped to Ishan Kishan. A hat trick was on the cards.
Dhananjaya de Silva gently blocked the ball which eventually trickled to the boundary line leaving Siraj’s valiant attempt from the bowling line in vain. The magic was not over though, Siraj got one to swing inside to get an edge to the slip. Six balls, four wickets, four runs – history made.
Match Result
India won the game by a comprehensive margin of 10 wickets.
Player of the Match
Mohammed Siraj was unanimously adjudged to be the man of the match with a bowling performance for the ages.
Brief Scorecard
| Sri Lanka Total: 50/10 (15.2 overs) | India Total: 51/0 (6.1 overs) |
| K. Mendis 17 (34) | S. Gill 27* (19) |
| D. Hemantha 13* (15) | R. Sharma 23* (18) |
| M. Siraj 6/13 | C. Asalanka 0/1 |
| H. Pandya 3/3 | D. Wellalage 0/7 |
Match Highlights
Match Wrap-Up
The Asia Cup final failed to reach the levels of expectation that were built around him. Mohammed Siraj’s spell from heaven led to a shocking batting collapse for Lankan Lions who were bowled out with 14 overs. It seemed to be a one-sided affair right from the first ball and India finished the formality with all of their wickets intact. An apt finish to the preparations for the men in blue as they aim to bring the back World Cup trophy to India after 12 years.
