India crowned as Asia Cup winners after demolishing Sri Lanka

India, in the Asia Cup 2023 final on Sunday, were crowned as champions following their 10-wicket win over hosts Sri Lanka.

Chasing a small target of 51, Indian openers Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill wasted no time and completed the run-chase in 6.1 overs securing the eighth Asia Cup title (overall) victory for the Men in Blue. Kishan and Gill scored 23 and 27 runs respectively.

The hosts Sri Lanka, opted to bat first after winning the toss earlier in the day with the match starting with a delay of 40 minutes due to rain.

However, Sri Lanka's batting line collapsed in 15.2 overs. The carnage started with Jasprit Bumrah removing Kusal Perera in the first over the game.

However, India's Mohammad Siraj bamboozled the Sri Lankan batters to complete his fifer in his first three overs of the spell.

Siraj ended up with historic figures of six for 21 in seven overs. The right-arm pacer conceded only 21 runs in his remarkable spell.

Only two Sri Lankan batters managed to get into double figures, with Dushan Hemantha scoring an unbeaten 13 and Kusal Mendis adding another 17 runs.

Apart from Siraj's six-wicket haul, Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah bagged three and one wickets each, leaving Sri Lanka bowled out at 50 in 15.2 overs.

In response, Blue Shirts sailed through the 51-run target and completed the chase with 10 wickets in hand.

This is India's seventh Asia Cup (ODI) title and eighth overall.

Sri Lanka's 51-run target is the lowest total in the history of Asia Cup (ODI) history since the record was previously held by Bangladesh, who scored 87 runs against Pakistan back in 2000.

India's Siraj bagged the Man of the Match award for his impressive match-winning performance. His six victims were Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarwickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananajaya de Silva and Dasun Shanaka.

Meanwhile, India's Kuldeep Yadav won the Player of the Tournament award. The left-arm wrist spinner picked up nine wickets. He took a match-winning five-wicket haul against Pakistan, followed by a four-wicket haul against Sri Lanka to help India win two games in the Super 4 stage.

India's Shubman Gill emerged as the top scorer in the tournament with 302 runs followed up by Sri Lanka's Kusal Medis who scored 270 runs throughout the tournament.

Pakistan's Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan secured fourth and fifth spots for their 207 and 195 runs respectively.

Separately, Sri Lanka's Matheesha Pathirana bagged 11 wickets as the top wicket-taker of the tournament followed up by India's Mohammad Siraj with his 10 wickets. Pakistan's Shaheen Afridi secured the fourth spot in the bowlers ranking, the left-arm pacer took 10 wickets in the tournament.

Playing XI

India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (wk), Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis (wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka (c), Dunith Wellalage, Dushan Hemantha, Pramod Madushan, Matheesha Pathirana