An In-form Indian side met the Co-host Sri Lanka in the final of the Asia Cup 2023. Sri Lanka, who came into the final following a win against the strong Pakistan team, got bowled out for a half-century. With 51 on the board to chase, it was an easy target for the young Indian openers, who chased the total in 37 balls. India became the Asian Champions for the 8th time. 

It was a tournament to remember for the Indian team and a significant positive as they enter the Cricket World Cup 2023. The highlight of the game was Siraj’s spell of 6/21 in 7 overs with one maiden. Siraj started showing his “Miyan Magic” from the very first over he bowled, taking four wickets in the second over he bowled. Other positives from the tournament include Gill and Rohit’s Stability and consistency in batting, K.L., Kishan, and Kohli solving India’s middle-order trouble and genuine masterclass and flow in the Indian Bowling featuring Kuldeep, Bumrah, and Siraj. 

Take a tour of India’s winning journey from the Asia Cup. The first match of the Men in Blue was against the arch-rival Pakistan, in which India set a target of 267 for Pakistan to win. The rain interrupted the game, resulting in a washout. The next match was against Nepal. Nepal’s batting first exposed the Indian bowling, scoring 230 runs. It was not a big target, but it was a reasonable effort from Nepal against a strong Indian line-up. The match was yet again interrupted by rain and India had a revised target of 145 runs in 23 overs. The openers chased the target comfortably, as India won the match with 10 wickets in hand, marching towards the super-4s. 

Indian batters smashed the Pak bowlers in all parts of the ground, with Kohli and Rahul’s century and Kuldeep’s fifer, leaving Pakistan with no answers to the mighty Indian side. Next was the co-host Sri Lanka, in a close encounter, Sri Lanka was short of the target by 41 runs, helping India march to the final. India faced Bangladesh in their last super-4 game with big players rested India was asked to bowl first. The Bangladeshi batsman gave a target of 266 to chase. India was short of the target by 6 runs, despite an excellent batting effort from Axar Patel. India took on Sri Lanka in the final of the tournament. Bowling first, the Indian bowlers started giving the Lankans the taste of their own medicine, as they dismissed six of the ten Lankan players within the first 10 overs. And Lanka got all out for 50 in less than 16 overs. Indian openers chased the target with ease, winning India the trophy for the 8th time. It would give a boost in confidence to the team ahead of the CWC in October.