With this successful performance against a weak Sri Lanka, India wins the Asia Cup for the eighth time in a row.
They also finally break their five-year streak of losing multi-team tournaments with this victory.
And with the World Cup approaching, they will hope that their success today will set them up for a strong showing in the competition, with an eye toward the final on November 19.
Sri Lanka will be unhappy with how they approached the first innings and will undoubtedly do a thorough investigation over the coming weeks as they get ready.
We appreciate your company today, and we hope to see you back on October 5 when we start covering the World Cup.
“It was frustrating to get bowled out the way we did.”
Chris Silverwood, the Sri Lankan coach, expresses his disappointment after the game: “The performance was below average. It was quite disheartening that we were knocked out in such a manner. There needs to be a lot of reflection.
“Today we faced a bowling onslaught of the highest caliber. “I think we also made our lives difficult [as well]; the Indian bowlers held a solid line and length and bowled at a fast pace,” he remarked.
We’ve witnessed several of our bowlers excel. With the bat, Sadeera [Samarawickrama] has put in some strong performances. Unfortunately, we are unable to support any of today’s performances.
We must consider this overnight.
Since they didn’t get to see many explosions from their batters, Sri Lankan supporters stayed back to watch the fireworks light up the Colombo sky.
India triumphs by ten wickets.
Ishan Kishan gives India a 10-wicket victory with a steer to mid off!
India merely needed little more than six overs to reach the target whereas Sri Lanka needed just over 15 overs to make it to 50 all out.
The Indians, who were terrific with both ball and bat today, have won by a landslide.
Sri Lanka will regret passing up a great chance to win at home and will reflect on their toss decision and starting strategy.
6 overs. India 50-0
Before overpitching the last ball, the spinner performs admirably, allowing just one in the over.
Shubman Gill evens the score with a clean drive past the covers.
5 overs. India 45-0
Pathirana errs twice by overpitching and straying wide, which gives Kishan the opportunity to guide the ball through the backward point region for four.
India is within six points away from winning this match when the over ends with another boundary that was clipped, this time by Gill through square leg.
4 overs. India 34-0
Wellalage gets introduced considerably early than he would have anticipated after scoring five runs against India in their Super 4 match.
Sri Lanka has reportedly gone to their most potent bowler in this competition since their situation has grown pretty bleak.
He performs admirably enough to limit India to two runs.
3 overs. India 32-0
Gill is in excellent form, so he takes advantage of the width that Pramod Madushan offers on a half-volley length ball outside off and drives expertly through cover for four.
The second ball is brought in, but Gill timed it past the same area once more to make it back-to-back boundaries.
The subsequent delivery, as he goes short, results in three consecutive fours as Gill pivots onto his back foot and pulls the ball to the midwicket boundary.
India is closing in on the goal and only needs 19 more points to win the 2023 Asia Cup.
2 overs. India 17-0
On the other end, the ball is given to Matheesha Pathirana.
After an attempt to run out Kishan at the non-end striker’s failed, India earns two runs thanks to an overthrow.
As Kishan opens his face to glide the ball past the slip and to the third man boundary, the pacer misses the short ball with his third delivery.
He then throws a short, wide pass that Kishan chops away behind point for four.
1 over. India 7-0
Kishan hits Madushan’s third delivery across mid-on for three runs after the bowler overpitch it.
From his penultimate ball, he makes the error of straying onto Gill’s pads, and Gill obliges with a well timed glance through midwicket for a boundary.
India’s answer got off to the best possible start.
Players back on the field
The Sri Lankan players leave the field, closely followed by the opening batsman for India.
In place of Rohit Sharma, Kishan has been given the opening position, with Gill partnering on the other end.
This may be a sign that India will attack with all its might in an effort to quickly capture the target.
To begin the game, the ball has been given to Madushan.
Fans of Sri Lanka claim that their team’s dismal innings have left them in the dark, but they are still sticking around to see whether their spinners can perform a miracle.
During the innings break, Jeevan Mathews commented, “I believe in our bowling.
“I know Siraj bowled well, but the pitch must have something for the bowlers to utilise,” the coach said.
Siraj, who is ecstatic about his first-inning performance, says: “Feels like a dream. At Trivandrum, I did the same thing against Sri Lanka last time, taking four wickets early but failing to complete a five-for.
“I did not try too hard today since I realize that you get what is written in your destiny. With white-ball cricket, I’ve always searched for swing,” he stated.
“In the previous games, I didn’t find much [swing], but today it was swinging, and the outswinger helped me get more wickets.”
Sri Lanka has been knocked out for an unbelievable total of 50 thanks to Siraj’s 6 for 21.
Today’s bowlers were in excellent form and took advantage of the cloudy weather to manipulate the ball to their will.
The top and middle order were unable to demonstrate the skill needed to play out the overs and attempt to put together a more difficult total for the visitors.
It will be difficult to contain this potent Indian batting team, despite the Sri Lankan bowlers’ best efforts to bring the same level of vengeance off the field.
We shall return soon to watch India’s innings.
