Asia Cup 2023 – Rohit Sharma-led India lifts Asia Cup

Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill led India to victory in the Asia Cup 2023, ending a five-year drought. Despite a rain delay, an unexpected storm named Mohammed Siraj wreaked havoc on Sri Lanka’s batting lineup, taking six wickets in just seven overs, while Hardik Pandya chipped in with three crucial dismissals, ultimately bowling out Sri Lanka for 50 runs.

Sri Lanka qualified for the final by defeating Pakistan by two wickets in the Super Four stage, setting up an eagerly anticipated showdown with India. Sri Lanka aimed to equal India’s remarkable record of seven Asia Cup final appearances in Sunday’s final, their second consecutive final.

India and Sri Lanka have played each other in 166 One Day International (ODI) matches, the most of any two teams.  India has won 97 of these matches, while Sri Lanka has won 57. Eleven games ended with “no result,” and one game was tied. 

The R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo is known for its batting-friendly pitches, with teams that set targets often outperforming chasing teams. It tends to help spinners as the game progresses. The main concern, however, is rain, which has disrupted multiple matches this year in the tournament.

Key moments from the India Vs Sri Lanka Asia Cup 2023 Final

• The toss was won by Sri Lanka, who chose to bat first.
• The start of the match was delayed by 40 minutes due to inclement weather.
• On the third delivery of the match, Jasprit Bumrah claimed a crucial wicket.
• Then, in his second over, Mohammed Siraj made a significant impact, taking four wickets and leaving Sri Lanka in a precarious position. Mohammed Siraj took six wickets in just seven overs.
• Hardik Pandya took another wicket in the 13th over, leaving Sri Lanka with two batsmen left.He eventually took the last wicket as well.
• Sri Lanka suffered a crushing collapse, scoring only 50 runs in 15.2 overs.
• India’s opening pair of Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill set a new record by chasing down the target with 263 balls to spare.
• Siraj’s figures are the best by any Indian pacer in an ODI final, as well as the second best after Anil Kumble’s 6 for 12 in the 1993 Hero Cup Final.
• Siraj took the fifth wicket of the match in just 16 balls, the fewest by any bowler in an ODI. Siraj is only the second man, after Ashish Nehra, to take six wickets in an ODI against Sri Lanka.
• India is the only team to have won an ODI final by ten wickets twice, the other time against Zimbabwe in Sharjah in 1998 (197 for 0). It is also the biggest ever ODI win for India in terms of balls to spare (263), as well as the largest in an ODI final.