<
        >

          Four in six, ball by ball - Siraj scythes through Sri Lanka

          • ESPNcricinfo staff
          Sep 17, 2023, 08:31 AM ET

          Three overs into the Asia Cup final, Sri Lanka were already in a tricky situation, 8 for 1 against an India new-ball pair moving the ball prodigiously in overcast conditions. By the end of the fourth over, they were in a daze, unsure of what had hit them, after Mohammed Siraj became just the fourth bowler (in matches where ball-by-ball records are available) to pick up four wickets in an over in ODIs. Here's how Hemant Brar recorded it in our ball-by-ball commentary.

          Siraj continues with three slips
          3.1 Siraj to Nissanka, OUT
          A stunner from Jadeja. A length ball from Siraj, just outside off. Nissanka pushed at it, opening the face of the bat at the point of contact, and that meant the ball went squarer. Jadeja dived to his right and pouched it low with both hands

          Sadeera Samarawickrama at No. 4
          3.2 Siraj to Samarawickrama, no run
          Length ball in the channel, going away. Left alone

          3.3 Siraj to Samarawickrama, OUT
          An appeal for lbw and the umpire hardly took any time to raise his finger. Sadeera wants to review it, though. Was a length ball pitching just outside off that beat the inside edge and hit the batter around knee roll on the front pad. The ball-tracking shows it would have gone on to hit the top of the leg stump. Sri Lanka in deep trouble

          Charith Asalanka is the new batter - one of the best No. 5s at the moment. Two slips for him
          3.4 Siraj to Asalanka, OUT
          Siraj on a hat-trick! He has got three in four balls now! It was full around off and Asalanka just pushed at it - think with little footwork, failing to keep it down. It went straight to cover where Kishan took it in front of his face, with reverse cups

          Dhananjaya de Silva to face the hat-trick ball. Four slips
          3.5 Siraj to Dhananjaya, FOUR runs
          Length ball on the stumps and de Silva just pushes it through the vacant mid-on region. Siraj, full of adrenaline, puts in the chase alongside Kishan, beats Kishan but fails to stop the boundary. Kohli at slip, meanwhile, cannot stop laughing

          3.6 Siraj to Dhananjaya, OUT
          Fourth wicket for Siraj in the over - Sri Lanka 12 for 5! It was in the channel, slightly fuller than good length with the seam pointing towards deep third. Dhananjaya pushes at it away from the body. The ball moves away to take a faint outside edge and Rahul completes a regulation catch

          Siraj was by no means done yet. He bowled Dasun Shanaka, the Sri Lanka captain, with an unplayable outswinger off the fourth ball of his next over, at which stage he had picked up a five-wicket haul after delivering just 16 balls. No one has taken a quicker five-for in ODIs where ball-by-ball record is available.