Mohammad Siraj, the standout Indian fast bowler in the somewhat underwhelming Asia Cup 2023 final, made a heartwarming gesture towards the Sri Lankan ground staff who had to endure challenging weather conditions during the tournament.
The Asia Cup, jointly hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka, concluded successfully, featuring four matches for Pakistan and nine for Sri Lanka. Unfortunately, rain disrupted most matches in Sri Lanka, leading to a no-result match between India and Pakistan in the group stage. Even the Super 4 stage’s semi-final between Sri Lanka and Pakistan was affected by rain, highlighting the weather challenges faced during the event.
Throughout the tournament, the Sri Lankan ground staff received praise for their dedication in ensuring the completion of rain-affected matches. This effort deeply touched the 29-year-old Indian bowler, Siraj, who decided to hand over his $5,000 ‘Player of the Match’ prize to the ground staff at Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium.
A beautiful gesture from Muhammad Siraj dedicating the prize money to Ground staff for their dedication to make Asia cup Happen Hat's Off to Siraj's Gesture 🙌 👑
Truly Class Apart act from our RCBIAN boy ♥️🩵 #Cricket@mdsirajofficial #AsiaCupFinals #viratkholi #Siraj #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/koXCUasuxI
— · Actiey (@iamActiey_) September 17, 2023
Siraj, who played a crucial role in the Asia Cup final, remarked, “This award is dedicated to the ground staff. Without them, this tournament wouldn’t have been possible. They truly deserve all the credit.”
Jay Shah
Additionally, Jay Shah, the head of the Asian Cricket Council, announced a $50,000 award on behalf of the ACC and Sri Lanka Cricket for the curators and ground staff working in Kandy.
Siraj’s exceptional bowling performance in the final disrupted the Sri Lankan batting lineup, as he claimed six wickets for just 21 runs in his allotted overs, limiting them to a mere 50 runs. India’s victory was followed by a brisk chase, securing their eighth Asia Cup title.