COLOMBO (Agencies): India have lifted the Asia Cup for a record-extending eighth time after routing defending champions Sri Lanka by 10 wickets with Mohammed Siraj claiming a career-best 6-21, including four wickets in one over, at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Electing to bat on Sunday in front of a full house of 35,000 fans, Sri Lanka were bundled out for a paltry 50 in 15.2 overs with five batters getting ducks in their sorry-looking scorecard with Siraj the wrecker-in-chief.
Siraj’s fiery display of pace bowling was best illustrated in his second over when the right-armed bowler quickly dismissed Pathum Nissanka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka and Dhananjaya de Silva.
Hardik Pandya also bagged three wickets while Jasprit Bumrah claimed one as Sri Lanka registered their second-lowest total in one-day internationals (ODIs), lasting only 92 balls.
India needed 6.1 overs to achieve the target for a timely boost before their home World Cup beginning next month.
Bumrah removed Kusal Perera in the first over to trigger a collapse and the Sri Lanka batters looked helpless as Siraj breathed fire with the new ball.
Only Kusal Mendis (17) and Dushan Hemanta, who made 13 not out, managed double digits for the home side.
India skipper Rohit Sharma held himself back and sent out Ishan Kishan to open the innings with Shubman Gill, opting for a left-right opening stand.
The openers scored freely to ensure there was no drama and Kishan, who made 23 not out, scored the winning run of the summit clash, which lasted only 21.3 overs.
Gill remained unbeaten on 27.
Sri Lanka and India had progressed to the Asia Cup finals while Pakistan and Bangladesh were knocked out in the Super Four stage. Afghanistan and Nepal failed to get beyond the first round.
India host Australia in a three-match ODI series later this match and the teams will clash again on October 8 in their World Cup opener in Chennai.
A dejected Chris Silverwood, the Sri Lankan coach, said his side came up against a high-class bowling attack but should have done better.
“It has been a below par performance. To get bowled out the way we did was very disappointing,” he said. “There is a lot of reflection to be done.”
