The 2023 Asia Cup Final was the final of the 2023 Asia Cup, a One Day International cricket tournament, and was played on 17 September 2023 in Colombo.[1] Sri Lanka were the defending champions.[2] India beat Sri Lanka by 10 wickets to win their eighth title.[3] Sri Lanka's total of 50 is the lowest total in any ODI tournament final.

2023 Asia Cup Final
Event2023 Asia Cup
Sri Lanka India
Sri Lanka India
50 51/0
15.2 overs 6.1 overs
India won by 10 wickets
Date17 September 2023
VenueR. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Player of the matchMohammed Siraj (Ind)
UmpiresRichard Illingworth (Eng) and Ahmed Shah Pakteen (Afg)
2022
2025 →

Background

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In June 2020, following a meeting with the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said they would be willing to let Sri Lanka host the 2020 Asia Cup,[4] with India unwilling to travel to Pakistan.[5] The ACC issued a press release following the meeting stating that "in light of the impact and consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, possible venue options for the Asia Cup 2020 were discussed and it was decided to take the final decision in due course".[6] In July 2020, an official announcement of the postponement was made by the ACC.[7] The 2020 edition was rescheduled to take place in Sri Lanka in June 2021.[8]

In March 2021, the tournament was at risk of a further postponement after India qualified for the final of the World Test Championship, which clashed with the proposed dates in June.[9] The tournament postponed once again to 2023.[10] In May 2021, the ACC announced that the 2021 tournament would be deferred to 2023, citing that it would be difficult to schedule the tournament to due to the continued impact of COVID-19 on the scheduling of other cricket events.[11][12] Pakistan was scheduled to host the 2022 Asia Cup after retaining the rights to host the 2022 edition.[13] However, in October 2021, following a meeting with the ACC, Ramiz Raja confirmed that Pakistan would host the tournament in 2023, with Sri Lanka hosting the 2022 edition.[14]

In October 2022, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary and ACC President Jay Shah said that India would not travel to Pakistan with the ongoing political tension between the two countries.[15] Despite Pakistan being confirmed as hosts earlier, he stated that "the Asia Cup 2023 will be held at a neutral venue."[16] In reply to this statement, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) requested for an emergency meeting of the ACC board to discuss "this important and sensitive matter". The PCB said that this statement could impact on Pakistan's participation in the 2023 CWC and other ICC events in India in the 2024–2031 cycle.[17]

In December 2022, the then PCB chairman Ramiz Raja informed that Pakistan might consider pulling out of this tournament if their hosting rights are withdrawn because of India's unwillingness to travel to Pakistan.[18] However, in January 2023, ACC confirmed the teams and groups of the tournament, with both India and Pakistan taking part.[19]

In March 2023, it was proposed Pakistan remain as hosts and all India matches including at least two India-Pakistan contests to be played at a neutral venue yet to be confirmed.[20] The hybrid model proposed by Pakistan was rejected by Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.[21] In response, PCB Chairman Najam Sethi proposed two options. The first option was that India play all their matches at a neutral venue with Pakistan hosting the rest of the teams. The second option was that four matches in the group stage take place in Pakistan whereas the second phase, in which matches played by the Indian team followed by the next stage matches including the final, be played at a neutral venue. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh agreed to the second option.[22]

On 15 June 2023, the Asian Cricket Council announced that the tournament will be hosted in a hybrid model with four matches being held in Pakistan, and the remaining nine matches being played in Sri Lanka.[23]

Road to the final

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  India Titles   Sri Lanka
Opponent Result Group Stage Opponent Result
  Pakistan No Result Match 1   Bangladesh Won
    Nepal Won Match 2   Afghanistan Won
Group A table
Pos Team Pld Pts
1   Pakistan (H) 2 3
2   India 2 3
3     Nepal 2 0
Source: ESPNcricinfo
(H) Host

  Advances to Super Four

Final standings Group B table
Pos Team Pld Pts
1   Sri Lanka (H) 2 4
2   Bangladesh 2 2
3   Afghanistan 2 0
Source: ESPNcricinfo
(H) Host

  Advances to Super Four

Opponent Result Super Four Opponent Result
  Pakistan Won Match 1   Bangladesh Won
  Sri Lanka Won Match 2   India Lost
  Bangladesh Lost Match 3   Pakistan Won
Super Four Table
Pos Team Pld W L NR Pts NRR
1   India 3 2 1 0 4 1.759
2   Sri Lanka 3 2 1 0 4 −0.134
3   Bangladesh 3 1 2 0 2 −0.469
4   Pakistan 3 1 2 0 2 −1.283
Source: ESPNcricinfo

  Advanced to the Final

Venue

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The Asia Cup 2023 final was held at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on 17 September 2023. It has a capacity of 35,000. Sri Lanka Cricket through a press release informed that all the tickets were sold out and advised the spectators not to rush in front of ticket counters for new tickets.[24]

Match

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Match officials

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Summary

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17 September 2023
15:00 (SLST) (D/N)
Scorecard
Sri Lanka  
50 (15.2 overs)
v
  India
51/0 (6.1 overs)
Kusal Mendis 17 (34)
Mohammed Siraj 6/21 (7 overs)
Shubman Gill 27* (19)
India won by 10 wickets
R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Umpires: Richard Illingworth (Eng) and Ahmed Shah Pakteen (Afg)
Player of the match: Mohammed Siraj (Ind)

Scorecard

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Source: ESPNcricinfo

Sri Lanka batting
Player Status Runs Balls 4s 6s Strike rate
Pathum Nissanka c Jadeja b Siraj 2 4 0 0 50.00
Kusal Perera c †Rahul b Bumrah 0 2 0 0 0.00
Kusal Mendis b Siraj 17 34 3 0 50.00
Sadeera Samarawickrama lbw b Siraj 0 2 0 0 0.00
Charith Asalanka c Kishan b Siraj 0 1 0 0 0.00
Dhananjaya de Silva c †Rahul b Siraj 4 2 1 0 200.00
Dasun Shanaka b Siraj 0 4 0 0 0.00
Dunith Wellalage c †Rahul b Pandya 8 21 0 0 38.09
Dushan Hemantha not out 13 15 1 0 86.66
Pramod Madushan c Kohli b Pandya 1 6 0 0 16.66
Matheesha Pathirana c Kishan b Pandya 0 1 0 0 0.00
Extras (lb 2, w 3) 5
Total 15.2 overs 50 92 5 0 3.26 (run rate)
India bowling
Bowler Overs Maidens Runs Wickets Economy
Jasprit Bumrah 5 1 23 1 4.60
Mohammed Siraj 7 1 21 6 3.00
Hardik Pandya 2.2 0 3 3 1.28
Kuldeep Yadav 1 0 1 0 1.00

Fall of wickets: 1/1 (K. Perera, 0.3 ov), 8/2 (Nissanka, 3.1 ov), 8/3 (Samarawickrama, 3.3 ov), 8/4 (Asalanka, 3.4 ov), 12/5 (D. de Silva, 3.6 ov), 12/6 (Shanaka, 5.4 ov), 33/7 (K. Mendis, 11.2 ov), 40/8 (Wellalage, 12.3 ov), 50/9 (Madushan, 15.1 ov), 50/10 (Pathirana, 15.2 ov)

India batting
Player Status Runs Balls 4s 6s Strike rate
Ishan Kishan not out 23 18 3 0 127.77
Shubman Gill not out 27 19 6 0 142.10
Rohit Sharma
Virat Kohli
K. L. Rahul
Hardik Pandya
Ravindra Jadeja
Washington Sundar
Jasprit Bumrah
Kuldeep Yadav
Mohammed Siraj
Extras (lb 1) 1
Total 6.1 overs 51/0 37 9 0 8.27 (run rate)
Sri Lanka bowling
Bowler Overs Maidens Runs Wickets Economy
Pramod Madushan 2 0 21 0 10.50
Matheesha Pathirana 2 0 21 0 10.50
Dunith Wellalage 2 0 7 0 3.50
Charith Asalanka 0.1 0 1 0 6.00

References

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  1. ^ "Asia Cup 2023 to kick off on August 30; India-Pakistan on September 2 in Kandy". ESPNcricinfo. 19 July 2023. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  2. ^ "Brilliant Sri Lanka clinch Asia Cup 2022 title". www.icc-cricket.com. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  3. ^ "Siraj's brutal spell blows Sri Lanka away as India lift 8th Asia Cup title". Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  4. ^ "Asia Cup likely in Sri Lanka; PCB offers SLC to swap hosting rights". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 12 June 2020. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  5. ^ "Sri Lanka Cricket Offers To Host Asia Cup 2020 Edition". Cricket Addictor. 9 June 2020. Archived from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  6. ^ "Pakistan gave us green light to host 2020 Asia Cup: SLC chief Shammi Silva". Gulf News. 9 June 2020. Archived from the original on 9 June 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  7. ^ "Asia Cup 2020 postponed". The Daily Star. 9 July 2020. Archived from the original on 9 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  8. ^ "Asia Cup postponed to 2022". The News. Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  9. ^ "Asia Cup to be postponed if India reach final of World Test Championship: PCB". Times of India. 28 February 2021. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
  10. ^ "Asia Cup postponed once again". CricBuzz. 23 May 2021. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021.
  11. ^ "Cricket tournament: 2021 Asia Cup postponed to 2023 due to packed schedule". Business Standard. 23 May 2021. Archived from the original on 6 January 2023. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  12. ^ "2021 Edition of the Asia Cup to be postponed". Asian Cricket Council. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  13. ^ "Asia Cup 2021 to be postponed amid hectic cricket calendar". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 24 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  14. ^ "Asia Cup 2023 to be played in Pakistan, confirms PCB chief Ramiz Raja". Wion News. Archived from the original on 15 October 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  15. ^ "India won't travel to Pakistan for 2023 Asia Cup". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 6 January 2023. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  16. ^ "India won't visit Pakistan for Asia Cup 2023, neutral venue not unprecedented: BCCI secretary". Dawn. 18 October 2022. Archived from the original on 6 January 2023. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  17. ^ "Jay Shah statement could 'impact Pakistan's visit to India' for 2023 ODI World Cup, says PCB". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 6 January 2023. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  18. ^ "PCB could pull out of 2023 Asia Cup if tournament is moved out of Pakistan". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 6 January 2023. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  19. ^ "Najam Sethi takes a dig at Jay Shah for 'unilaterally presenting' Asian Cricket Council calendar for 2023-2024". India Today. Archived from the original on 6 January 2023. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  20. ^ "2023 Asia Cup likely in Pakistan and one other overseas venue for India games". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  21. ^ "Asia Cup 2023: Sri Lanka, Bangladesh give thumbs down to PCB's hybrid hosting model".
  22. ^ "Blow to India: Sri Lanka, Bangladesh back Pakistan's hybrid proposal on Asia Cup 2023". Geo News. 16 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  23. ^ "Asia Cup 2023, Dates and Venues Announced". Asian Cricket Council. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  24. ^ "Asia Cup 2023 final sold out as Sri Lanka and India gear up for epic showdown". The Economic Times. 17 September 2023. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  25. ^ "Asia Cup 2023 Final: Mohammed Siraj picks 4 wickets in an over, becomes 4th fastest Indian to pick 50 ODI wickets". India Today. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  26. ^ "India vs Sri Lanka: Mohammed Siraj Lights Up Asia Cup Final With Fastest 5-Wicket Haul In ODIs". NDTV Sports. Retrieved 17 September 2023.