The Asia Cup 2023 Final was one of those games where everything happened so fast, you had to blink twice to believe it. If you’re a cricket fan, you know the excitement a final brings. It’s more than just a match—it’s about pride, passion, and history. This year, the clash between India and Sri Lanka was expected to be close. But what unfolded at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo shocked everyone.
India walked into the final with confidence. They had beaten Pakistan and Sri Lanka earlier in the tournament. Sri Lanka, however, had the home crowd on their side. That made things interesting. But cricket is a funny game. You never know what will happen until the first ball is bowled. And when it was, it was chaos.
If you missed the match or want to relive the moments, here’s a full breakdown of what happened. Let’s take a look at the scorecard, turning points, and what made this final unforgettable for every cricket fan.
Match Summary: Asia Cup 2023 Final
Venue: R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Date: September 17, 2023
Result: India won by 10 wickets
Player of the Match: Mohammed Siraj
Toss and Team Line-ups
Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat first. Many thought this was a smart move, considering the pitch would likely slow down later. But India had other plans.
Sri Lanka Playing XI:
- Pathum Nissanka
- Kusal Perera (wk)
- Kusal Mendis
- Sadeera Samarawickrama
- Charith Asalanka
- Dhananjaya de Silva
- Dasun Shanaka (captain)
- Dunith Wellalage
- Dushan Hemantha
- Pramod Madushan
- Matheesha Pathirana
India Playing XI:
- Rohit Sharma (captain)
- Shubman Gill
- Virat Kohli
- KL Rahul (wk)
- Ishan Kishan
- Hardik Pandya
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Axar Patel
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Mohammed Siraj
Sri Lanka’s Batting Collapse
Sri Lanka’s innings was a complete disaster. It was not the kind of performance you expect from a team playing in a final. The collapse began early, and they never recovered.
Let’s take a look at the scorecard:
| Batsman | Runs | Balls | 4s/6s | How Out |
| Pathum Nissanka | 2 | 4 | 0/0 | Caught – Jadeja |
| Kusal Perera | 0 | 2 | 0/0 | Caught – Rahul |
| Kusal Mendis | 17 | 34 | 3/0 | Bowled – Bumrah |
| Sadeera Samarawickrama | 0 | 2 | 0/0 | LBW – Siraj |
| Charith Asalanka | 0 | 1 | 0/0 | Caught – Ishan |
| Dhananjaya de Silva | 4 | 2 | 1/0 | Caught – Gill |
| Dasun Shanaka (C) | 0 | 4 | 0/0 | Bowled – Siraj |
| Dunith Wellalage | 8 | 21 | 1/0 | Bowled – Pandya |
| Dushan Hemantha | 13 | 15 | 1/0 | Caught – Kohli |
| Pramod Madushan | 1 | 6 | 0/0 | Caught – Siraj |
| Matheesha Pathirana | 0 | 1 | 0/0 | Bowled – Siraj |
Total: 50 all out in 15.2 overs
India’s Bowlers – Siraj’s Day to Shine
Mohammed Siraj was unstoppable. In just one over, he picked up four wickets. He bowled fast, found movement, and kept it simple. His figures were historic:
- Mohammed Siraj: 6 wickets for 21 runs in 7 overs
- Jasprit Bumrah: 1 wicket for 23 runs
- Hardik Pandya: 3 wickets for 3 runs
Siraj’s spell was one of the best ever in an Asia Cup final. You could see the Sri Lankan batters had no clue how to deal with him.
India’s Run Chase – Smooth and Swift
India had only 51 runs to chase. You would think there’s no pressure, but sometimes small targets can be tricky. However, Rohit Sharma sent out Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan to open. The pair batted with calm and confidence.
| Batsman | Runs | Balls | 4s/6s | How Out |
| Shubman Gill | 27* | 19 | 6/0 | Not Out |
| Ishan Kishan | 23* | 18 | 3/0 | Not Out |
India reached the target in just 6.1 overs, without losing a wicket. It was a dominant finish.
Final Scorecard Overview
| Team | Score | Overs |
| Sri Lanka | 50 all out | 15.2 |
| India | 51/0 | 6.1 |
| Result | India won by 10 wickets |
Key Moments of the Match
- Siraj’s fiery 4-wicket over changed the game early.
- Sri Lanka lost 5 wickets in 16 balls, which stunned the crowd.
- India’s calm run chase made the finish look easy.
Even though the final was one-sided, it was still exciting because of how quickly everything happened. Siraj’s spell will be remembered for years.
What Went Wrong for Sri Lanka?
You may wonder—how did a strong team like Sri Lanka collapse in a final? It was a mix of poor shot selection and excellent bowling. They also seemed nervous from the start.
If they had shown more patience or built even a small partnership, the game could have lasted longer. But once the top order collapsed, the lower order couldn’t do much.
India’s Comeback in the Match
This win was big for India. They had not won the Asia Cup since 2018. The way they performed in this final showed they are ready for bigger challenges ahead, like the World Cup.
Players like Gill, Siraj, and Kishan stepped up. The bowling unit clicked together. And the team looked sharp in the field.
Post-Match Reactions
Rohit Sharma said it was one of the best bowling performances he had seen. Siraj dedicated his award to the groundsmen for preparing a great pitch despite rain concerns earlier in the day.
Sri Lanka’s captain, Dasun Shanaka, admitted the team didn’t handle pressure well. But he praised India’s bowling, especially Siraj.
Final Thoughts
Not every final gives you edge-of-the-seat drama. Some are one-sided, like this one. But that doesn’t make them forgettable. India’s performance was top-class. If you’re a fan, this match was a treat. If you’re a Sri Lanka supporter, it was a hard day, but there’s always the next tournament.
For now, India lifts the Asia Cup 2023 trophy with pride—and this final will go down as one of the quickest and most dramatic in recent memory.
