Page 51 - The Indian EYE 092223

SPORTS SEPTEMBER 22, 2023 | The Indian Eye 51

India captured its eighth Asia they looked superb throughout ..well
Cup title and Siraj took home the done team india.. Rohit sharma sec-
‘Player of the Match’ award. Kuldeep ond Asia cup title .. well done Rohit,
Yadav (nine wickets) was given the Dravid, support staff selectors and all
‘Player of the Series’ award for his the team members @bcci.”
bamboozling spin bowling in the Former Indian opener Gautam
tournament. Shubman Gill (302 runs Gambhir in simple words extended
in six games at an average of 75.50, his wishes to the team and wrote,
one century and two fifties scored the “What an emphatic win India! Next
most runs in the tournament. step WC.”
Former cricketer Venkatesh
Siraj reveals his favourite Prasad praised Siraj and wrote,
wicket from dream spell “Clinical win for Team India. Sir-
aj was exceptional and many boxes
ollowing his match-winning ticked for us. Congratulations @
spell against Sri Lanka in the fi- BCCI on winning the Asia Cup.”
Fnal of the Asia Cup, Indian pac- BCCI secretary Jay Shah wrote a
er Mohammed Siraj termed his spell special message for the Indian team,
as “magical” and picked all-rounder “The 2023 Asia Cup victory was a
Dasun Shanaka as his best wicket. testament to our unity and deter-
After speedster Mohammed Sir- mination! @mdsirajofficial 6-wick-
aj’s fiery spell decimated Sri Lanka, et haul was a standout in the finals,
the opening duo of Shubman Gill but it was the combined effort of our
and Ishan Kishan’s flawless fifty-run team that secured this prestigious
partnership helped India win the trophy. Heartiest congratulations to
Asia Cup for the eighth time. the Indian Cricket Team and support
Later after the match, Siraj had a staff for this fantastic achievement!”
chat with Kuldeep in a video posted Former Indian spinner Harbha-
by the Board of Control for Cricket jan Singh congratulated India and
in India (BCCI). wrote, “Powerful performance Team
“The spell I bowled today was INDIA @BCCI congratulations.”
magical. I had never thought I would
bowl a spell like this. When we “No team came so close to
played SL in Trivandrum (earlier this them”: Irfan Pathan
year), I bowled four overs and took
four wickets. But I could not take the ormer cricketer Irfan Pathan
fifth one. Over here, there were a lot believes India’s thumping vic-
of matches. I was bowling well. Bat- Ftory over Sri Lanka in the Asia
ters were getting beat but today, they Cup final will act as a major “confi-
finally edged it,” said Siraj in a video Mohammed Siraj celebrates a dismissal in the Asia Cup 2023 final match against dence boost” for the team in the up-
posted by BCCI. coming ODI World Cup.
Siraj said that when he started Sri Lanka on Sunday (ANI) The defending champions failed
bowling, he got some swing on re- to survive the threat posed by the
leasing the ball at nice lengths. “This when. Accordingly, I use my flippers and did well, I am happy,” signed off Men in Blue’s star-studded pace
is when I realised that I do not need and wrong-uns. I have also been us- Kuldeep. bowling line-up which was spear-
to hit the wicket. You could just take ing crease well. The bowling is nice headed by Mohammed Siraj.
one place and keep releasing it there and it is giving me confidence.” Tendulkar and others hails Pathan reflected on India’s per-
and get some swing,” he said. Kuldeep said that he has worked Siraj’s spell formance in the entire tournament
He termed Shanaka’s wicket as hard on his pace and its variation but and felt that no team was able to
his favourite one. it was not easy initially as it affected achin Tendulkar, the legend- pose a challenge to the Asia Cup
In West Indies, I had practised his rhythm. ary cricketer, joined the cricket 2023 champions and how this kind of
on wide off the crease outswing. Be- “But now I am going smooth and Scommunity in sending their best performance will play a major role in
cause I have a very good outswing. aggressive and enjoying my bowling,” wishes to the Indian team as they se- the upcoming tournament.
I pushed myself for a wide off the he added. cured their historic eighth Asia Cup “It was a very conventional vic-
crease in swing and then outswing Kuldeep lauded Siraj for his per- title by defeating Sri Lanka on a tory and, convincing entry because,
from there. I executed the way I formance. Kuldeep also said that he memorable Sunday. in Asia Cup, I think no team came
thought. This is my best wicket till is glad he bowled well in important Sachin took to X, formerly so close to team India except Ban-
yet,” said Siraj. matches and did not bowl in other known as Twitter and wrote, “Con- gladesh where the main team wasn’t
The pacer said that this spell will two matches and Siraj got his chance gratulations #TeamIndia on an em- playing. But if you’re talking about
give him confidence for the World to take six wickets. phatic victory! A difficult day indeed the main, where top players played.
Cup. “I felt good about the way you for Sri Lankan cricket. Must say, @ No one came close.
Talking about his bowling strat- bowled and the fact I did not get to mdsirajofficial’s upfront spell was And, to have that kind of victory
egies, Kuldeep said later, “I do not bowl today. You deserve these six rather spicy to handle! Well done,” before the World Cup, I think it’s a
think too much. I read the wicket wickets. When a team is all out for Former Board of Control for great boost of confidence for Team
well. I try to make sure my length is 50, you feel happy that match will Cricket in India (BCCI) president India. And that’s great to see, espe-
nice and bowl good-length balls con- end quickly. It does not matter if Sourav Ganguly showed his faith in cially the kind of fast growth that we
sistently. I have been reading the bat- I could not bowl in two matches. I the Indian team and said, “I said at saw against Sri Lanka,” Pathan told
ters, that what shot they will play and bowled well in two important games the start .. this is a very strong team .. reporters.

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