Asia Cup 2023: ‘Bowlers Were On Point Today’ Says Ishan Kishan After India’s Record Breaking Win Over Sri Lanka In Final
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The Indian cricket team thrashed the defending champions Sri Lanka by 10 wickets atR. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on September 17, Sunday.
Colombo: The Indian cricket team thrashed the defending champions Sri Lanka by 10 wickets atR. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on September 17, Sunday. The Rohit Sharma-led side won their record-breaking 8th Asia Cup title. India bowled out the hosts for just 50 runs with Mohammed Siraj picking 6 wickets. They then chased down the target in just 6.1 overs. The wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan praised the Men in Blue pacer and said the bowlers were on point today.
Mohammed Siraj was breathing fire under overcast conditions in Colombo, as he mercilessly ripped apart Sri Lanka’s top order in the Asia Cup 2023 final. His spell of 6/21 runs crushed many records and it was one of his dream opening spells, where he just ripped off the Sri Lankan batting line-up in the continental showpiece final.
Sri Lanka’s Chaminda Vaas, had picked five wickets against Bangladesh off merely 16 balls in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2003. Siraj became the second bowler in the Asia Cup 50-over format to take a 6-wicket haul after Sri Lanka’s Ajantha Mendis bagged the figure of 6/13 against India in 2008. Indian speedster Siraj tore apart Sri Lanka’s batting line-up with a dream spell to end the first innings in 15.2 overs in the Asia Cup 2023 final at the R Premadasa Stadium on Sunday.
After the match the wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan credited the bowlers mainly Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah and also he opened up that it was not easy to bat in the second innings.
“The bowlers were on point today. I would like to give credit to bowlers. Siraj and Bumrah. It’s not easy to bat in the second innings. We were prepared for any challenge, we spoke about it in the team meetings. I always love to open, the total wasn’t much, so it was a big yes (when asked to open) from my side. Can’t do much when you have only 50 runs on the board. But thanks to the skipper. We know our roles, we know how to prepare for the World Cup. We are playing against Australia, and I will be batting in the middle-order,” Ishan Kishan said in post match conference.
Chasing a paltry 51, India sent Ishan Kishan to open alongside Shubman Gill, who completed the chase with 263 balls remaining. Gill began by nonchalantly flicking Pramod Madushan for four, and Kishan ramped and slashed Matheesha Pathirana for back-to-back fours.
Gill feasted on Madhushan’s deliveries by nailing a drive, punching past point and slamming a pull to take three boundaries off him to race through the chase. He and Kishan took a four each off Pathirana via a flick and drive respectively, followed by Gill hitting a scintillating drive off Dunith Wellalage for four and Kishan taking the single to seal India’s easy win in just 37 deliveries.
Brief scores:
Sri Lanka 50 all out in 15.2 overs (Kusal Mendis 17; Mohammed Siraj 6-21, Hardik Pandya 3-3) lost to India 51 for no loss in 6.1 overs (Shubman Gill 27 not out, Ishan Kishan 23 not out) by 10 wickets
