Mohammed Siraj's historic spell against Sri Lanka creates many records

India's Mohammed Siraj became the joint fastest bowler in terms of balls to reach his five-wicket haul after he uprooted Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka's stumps in the final of the Asia Cup 2023 on Sunday, September 17, at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. But this was not the only record that Siraj pocketed on a historic day for him and India, where the Men in Blue won their eighth Asia Cup title courtesy of a 10-wicket routing of the hosts.

Siraj Joint Fastest to Five-Wicket Haul

Siraj completed his five-wicket haul in just 16 balls, which is joint fastest alongside Sri Lanka's Chaminda Vaas and the USA's Ali Khan. While Vaas completed his milestone during the 2003 ODI World Cup against Bangladesh, Ali Khan achieved his feat against Jersey.

Mohammed Siraj First Indian to Take Four Wickets in an Over

By taking the wickets of Pathum Nissanka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, and Dhananjaya de Silva in the fourth over of the Sri Lankan innings, Siraj became the only Indian to take four wickets in an over. He picked up his wickets on the first, third, fourth and sixth balls of the over.

Siraj Records Fourth-Best ODI Figures by an Indian

The Hyderabad-born Siraj's figures of 6/21 are also the fourth-best by an Indian in ODI cricket history. Siraj is only behind Stuart Binny (6/4 vs Bangladesh) in 2014, Anil Kumble (6/12 vs West Indies) in 1993, and Jasprit Bumrah (6/19 vs England) in 2022.

Siraj's Career-Best Figures

Siraj looked unstoppable on the pitch in overcast conditions. His figures of 6/21 are now his best in any form of international cricket. His previous best figures were 5/60 in a Test match. This was also Siraj's maiden five-wicket haul.

His previous best figures in ODIs also came against Sri Lanka in what was Sri Lanka's previous lowest score in ODIs against India. The match took place in January 2023 at the Greenfield Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

Mohammed Siraj Fourth Bowler to Take Four Wickets in an Over

Though the first Indian to do so, Siraj became the fourth bowler in the world to achieve the feat of picking four wickets in an over. Before him, Vaas of Sri Lanka against Bangladesh in 2003, Mohammed Sami of Pakistan against New Zealand in 2003, and Adil Rashid of England against West Indies in 2019 took four wickets in an over.

Third-Best Figures in Multilateral ODI Tournament Final

The 28-year-old Indian speedster also achieved the third-best figures in a multilateral ODI tournament (involving more than three teams). Anil Kumble's 6/12 against West Indies in the CAB Jubilee Tournament 1993, where five teams were involved, and Ajantha Mendis' 6/13 against India in the Asia Cup 2008 final are respectively the first and second best figures.

Second-Best Figures in Asia Cup History

Siraj's 6/21 is the best figure by an Indian in the Asia Cup. However, amongst all bowlers, it is the second-best after Sri Lanka's Mendis. Much like Siraj, Mendis had bamboozled his opponents—India at Karachi in the 2008 Asia Cup final in which Sri Lanka beat India to win the trophy.