(Watch) Mohammed Siraj magic picking 4 wickets in a single over.
In a stunning display of bowling prowess, Indian speedster Mohammed Siraj wreaked havoc on Sri Lanka’s batting lineup during the Asia Cup 2023 final held at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday, September 17.
The 29-year-old pacer, in a remarkable fourth over of Sri Lanka’s innings, claimed the crucial wickets of Pathum Nissanka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, and Dhananjaya de Silva. This remarkable feat occurred during Siraj’s second over in the game
Siraj initiated this devastating over by dismissing opener Pathum Nissanka, who managed just 2 runs off 4 balls. A spectacular catch by all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja at backward point sealed Nissanka’s fate. Siraj delivered a deceptive length ball that swerved in, compelling Nissanka to make contact. The right-handed batter inadvertently opened the face of his bat, allowing Jadeja to complete a breathtaking catch
Continuing his relentless assault, the Hyderabad-born pacer trapped Sadeera Samarawickrama with a fuller-length inswinger, securing a silver duck for the batsman. He further intensified Sri Lanka’s plight by dismissing Charith Asalanka, who departed without scoring (golden duck), caught by Ishan Kishan at cover with yet another full-length delivery outside the off-stump.
Before Sri Lanka could recover from these successive setbacks, Siraj struck again, removing Dhananjaya de Silva, who had managed just 4 runs off 2 deliveries. A wide outswinger led to de Silva’s downfall, as he was caught behind by wicketkeeper KL Rahul.
In a remarkable show of skill and speed, Siraj achieved a milestone by dismissing Sri Lanka’s captain, Dasun Shanaka, with a well-executed yorker. Notably, he became the fastest bowler to complete a fifer in just 16 balls. This exceptional performance also marked Siraj’s 50th ODI wicket, reaching a total of 52 wickets in his ODI career. His remarkable bowling played a pivotal role in India’s triumph in the Asia Cup 2023 final.