The Asia Cup 2023 final started with rain showers, and ended with wickets and records tumbling in an all-round exhibition of BLUE - by Team India, as they beat Sri Lanka by 10 wickets.

India were asked to bowl first, with our very own Boom Boom opening the floodgates with a wicket on the third ball. Then came a sandstorm from Mohammed Siraj (6/21) and Hardik Pandya’s triple raid (3/3 in 2.2 overs) to contain the hosts to a mere total of 50. Yes, you read that right, the whole team ended up with a total of 50!

The run-chase wasn't even a challenge, with the openers knocking the runs off. Okay, here's how it went..

Bumrah strikes first

Opening over + opening wicket + Jasprit Bumrah = INSTANT HAPPINESS. A delivery pitched around the middle stump with a touch of swing took a thick edge off Kusal Perera to wicketkeeper KL Rahul.

The Siraj storm

After crafting his opening over into a maiden over, Mohammed Siraj unleashed the chainsaw on the Sri Lankan batting order. Here’s the flow of the fourth over:

Over 3.1: Wicket

Over 3.2: Dot

Over 3.3: Wicket

Over 3.4: Wicket

Over 3.5: Boundary four

Over 3.6: Wicket

The run didn’t stop. He returned to bowl the sixth over and claimed the wicket of Dasun Shanaka (0), and later a rocket yorker to break the stumps of Kusal Mendis (17) to complete a six-wicket haul and register the best figures by any bowler against Sri Lanka in ODIs.

Pandya’s triple strike

Hardik couldn't keep himself out of the action. He threw himself in the ring and grabbed the wickets of Dunith Wellalage (8), Pramod Madushan (16) and Matheesha Pathirana to help India bundle out Sri Lanka for 50.

Gill, Ishan carry India home to #8

With an easy target of 50, Rohit Sharma let Shubman Gill (27) and Ishan Kishan (23) take charge of the run chase and bring home Asia Cup trophy number eight inside 6.1 overs.

Brief scores: India 51/0 (Shubman Gill 27, Ishan Kishan 23) beat Sri Lanka 50/10 (Kusal Mendis 17, Dushan Hemantha 13; Mohammed Siraj 6/21, Hardik Pandya 3/3) by 10 wickets.