Four out of six, ball by ball – Mohammed Siraj blazes his way through Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup final

Three overs into the Asia Cup final, Sri Lanka were already on the ropes, 8 for 1 against a new Indian batsman duo who moved the ball amazingly in overcast conditions. By the end of the fourth innings, they were in a daze, unsure what had hit them, after Mohammed Siraj became only the fourth player (in matches where ball-by-ball records are available) to pick up four wickets in an over in ODIs. Here’s how Hemant Brar Record it in our ball-by-ball commentary.

Siraj continues three slips
3.1 Siraj to Nissanka, OUT
Stunning from Jadeja. Long ball from Siraj from outside the field. Nissanka pushed it, opening the face of the racket at the point of contact, meaning the ball became square. Jadeja dived to his right and hit him with both hands

Sudira Samarawickrama is in fourth place
3.2 Siraj to Samarra, dignity, no escape
The length of the ball is in the channel, and it goes away. Left alone

3.3 Siraj to Samarawickrama, OUT
The appeal is in favor of LBW and the referee takes no time to lift his finger. But Sedira wants to review it. It was a long ball that went straight outside off, beat the inside edge and hit the batsman around the knee roll on the front pad. Tracking the ball shows that it would have gone on to hit the top of the leg stump. Sri Lanka is in deep trouble

Charith Asalanka is the new batsman – one of the best No. 5s at the moment. He has two mistakes
3.4 Siraj to Asalanka, out
Siraj scores a hat-trick! He’s got three out of four balls now! The ball was full and Asalanka pushed at it – think simple footwork, and failed to keep it low. He went straight to cover the spot where Kishan took him in front of his face with reversed cups

Dhananjaya de Silva faces the hat-trick. Four slips
3.5 Siraj to Dhananjaya, Four runs
The length of the ball is on the stumps and De Silva pushes it through the vacant mid-on area. Sooraj, full of adrenaline, gets into the chase along with Kishan, overpowers Kishan but fails to stop Hudayd. Meanwhile, Kohli can’t stop laughing

3.6 Siraj to Dhananjaya, OUT
Siraj’s fourth wicket in the over – Sri Lanka 12 for 5! It was in the channel, a little fuller than a good length, and the touchline was pointing towards a third deep. Dhananjaya pushes it away from the body. The ball moves away to take a dull outside edge and Rahul completes the regulation catch

Siraj was by no means finished yet. He bowled Dasun Shanaka, the Sri Lanka captain, with an uncapped off-spinner off the fourth ball in his next over, by which point he had taken a five-wicket haul after delivering just 16 balls. No one has taken faster fives in ODIs where a ball-by-ball record is available.