Mohammed Siraj feels “Like a Dream” after taking a record-breaking six wickets against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup 2023 final

In the Asia Cup final on Sunday at the R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, India defeated Sri Lanka for a meager 50 thanks in large part to six wickets from Mohammed Siraj, including four in one over.

In Colombo, Sri Lanka decided to bat first and were bowled out in 15.2 overs, although Siraj caused havoc with figures of 6/21.

“Previous game versus Sri Lanka I was able to grab the first four wickets, but I was unable to get the fifth. At the mid-innings break, Siraj informed the announcers, “I realized then, “jo nasseb mein hoga, wohi milega” – If it is in my destiny, I will get it.

“I concentrated just on line and length, leaving the rest to the ball. Since the ball swings when played with a white ball in white ball cricket, there was a lot of swing today. In an effort to allow the batsman play the drive and obtain wickets with the outwinger, which I often do not get, it happened for me today, he said.

Siraj actually beat Waqar Younis’ 6/26 at Sharjah in 1990 for the highest ODI stats against Sri Lanka.

If you bowl at a certain length, you may get wickets, and that’s what occurred, according to Siraj. “It was like a dream; the wicket had a lot of juice.”

Siraj became the first player from India to capture four wickets in an over in men’s ODI since 2002, matching the records of Chaminda Vaas of Sri Lanka (against Bangladesh in 2003), Mohammad Sami of Pakistan (against New Zealand in 2003), and Adil Rashid of England (against West Indies in 2019).

Along with Chaminda Vaas of Sri Lanka and Ali Khan of the United States, Siraj reached the milestone in the fewest balls—just 16—with his five-wicket haul.

Additionally, Siraj has the most wickets for India in the first 10 overs of an ODI since 2002.

The Asia Cup’s previous best bowling numbers for a fast bowler, held by Pakistan’s Aaqib Javed, who collected 5/19 against India in Sharjah in 1995, were surpassed by Siraj, 29, of Singapore.