The collapse of Sri Lanka
The day had begun with Sri Lanka winning the toss and opting to bat first. However, what followed was nothing short of a cricketing spectacle. Sri Lanka’s top order crumbled, with wickets falling like a house of cards. Kusal Perera‘s early dismissal marked the beginning of a cataclysmic collapse for the Sri Lankan side. By the time they reached 12 runs on the scoreboard, six wickets had already fallen, and it was evident that something extraordinary was unfolding.
The Siraj Show
What made this collapse even more remarkable was that five of these wickets were claimed by the relentless Siraj. The Hyderabad-born cricketer started off with a mesmerizing spell of fast bowling, and the statistics tell the story itself as his five-wicket haul came within a mere 16 balls, equalling Vaas’ record that had stood since 2003. Notably, the Sri Lanka veteran had achieved the feat against Bangladesh.
In a spell that will be remembered for years to come, four wickets for Siraj came in a single over, making him the first Indian bowler to achieve this feat in ODI cricket. This over left the Sri Lankan camp in shambles, struggling to come to terms with the sheer brilliance of Siraj’s bowling.
Siraj’s performance not only catapulted India into a commanding position in the Asia Cup 2023 Final but also sent shockwaves through the cricketing world
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The reactions from veteran cricketers and experts
As news of Siraj’s incredible performance spread like wildfire, the cricketing fraternity erupted in celebration. Many veteran cricketers, including the likes of Suresh Raina, Irfan Pathan, and Wasim Jaffer, took to social media to laud the pace sensation. They praised his relentless aggression, his ability to swing the ball both ways and his impeccable line and length.
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
Alexa, what’s the weather like today?”
“Alexa: Sorry, the forecast is Siraj’s spell – unpredictable!
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) September 17, 2023
Mohd Siraj is turning the Asia Cup finals into a thriller with his incredible bowling performance, taking down 5 important wickets! Great going brother @mdsirajoffical#AsiaCupFinals #SirajShowdown #INDvSL
— Suresh Raina
Amazing!
Incredible!
Unbelievable!
Siraj: The Sensation.#INDvsSL pic.twitter.com/sWN4u1ptPe
— Awanish Sharan
Mohammed Siraj in the Powerplay in the Asia Cup final:
0,0,0,0,0,0 – 1st over
W,0,W,W,4,W – 2nd over
0,0,0,W,0,1 – 3rd over
1,0,0,0,0,0 – 4th over
0,1,0,0,0,0 – 5th over
One of the Greatest spells ever in ODI history,Miyann
— VINEETH𓃵(@sololoveee) September 17, 2023
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