Asia Cup history: When Ajantha Mendis six-for weaved a web over India

Ajantha Mendis wrecked India with a six-wicket haul in the 2008 Asia Cup final

Bengaluru, September 7: Many times a tournament will forever be associated with the performance of a single player. The FIFA World Cup 1986 belonged to Diego Maradona, the 1996 ICC Cricket World Cup revolved around the hitting ability of Sanath Jayasuriya. And if we apply the same parameter to the 2008 Asia Cup held in Pakistan, then Ajantha Mendis owned it.

Mendis, the mystery spinner from Sri Lanka, took 27 wickets in that tournament to emerge the player of the series at 22. It was not just the staggering number of wickets he took made Mendis a hot property back then. He displayed an assortment of deliveries that even put to shade his more illustrious team-mate - Muttiah Muralitharan.

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Mendis bowled off-breaks, carrom balls, top spinners, googlies that the batsmen struggled to read his deliveries from his arm. Sri Lanka and India played in the Super Four of the Asia Cup 2008 but the team management did not field Mendis. Perhaps, a plan to unleash him in the final.

Whatever the logic was applied behind that move, it worked well for the Sri Lankans. Mendis produced dream spell of 6 for 13 as India crumbled to 173 all out while chasing 273 built on a superb 114-ball 125 by Jayasuriya. Sehwag, who was in usual belligerent self, made an astonishing 60 runs off the first 76 runs that India scored while chasing but Mendis had him stumped by Kumar Sangakkara.

It was the turning point Sri Lanka was looking for and Mendis soon packed off the young trio of Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh and Rohit Sharma as India's middle order caved in and along with it their chase too.

Future was so bright for Mendis then and he followed it up with another impeccable performance against India in the Test series played two months down the line. The most prolific middle order of his time - Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly - was battered repeatedly as Mendis took 26 wickets from three Tests.

But the bright flame did not last long as batsmen around the world sorted him out soon especially the India one-day side. He's now struggling to recapture those glory days but Asia Cup 2008 will forever remain as Mendis' tournament.