Happy Birthday Lasith Malinga: A look at the best ODI spells of the yorker king

In the limited-overs formats, former Sri Lankan pacer Lasith Malinga has been a superstar and match-winner. He is recognised for his slinging unconventional bowling style and cracking yorkers. The Galle-born fast bowler was essential to Sri Lanka’s ascent in the late 2000s and early 2010s, which included his appearances in back-to-back ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup finals in 2007 and 2011, as well as the ICC World T20 victory in 2014, where he also served as the captain for much of the competition.

Malinga kickstarted his ODI career in 2004 against the UAE and became a starter for the Islander side on a regular basis in 2006. After that, he was unstoppable, finishing his illustrious career with 338 wickets, the ninth most in ODI history and the third most for his country.

Today, on the occasion of his 39th birthday, let’s remember some lethal ODI spells by the yorker king:

6 wickets for 38 runs vs Kenya in Colombo (2011):

Malinga demolished Kenya’s batting lineup in Sri Lanka’s second game in the 2011 World Cup, finishing his spell with figures of 6/38 in 7.4 overs. In his opening stint, he first got rid of Collins Obuya and Seren Waters, then in the second half of the innings, he took four more wickets in the span of just two overs. With the dismissals of Tanmay Mishra, Peter Ngondo, and Shem Ngoche in successive deliveries, he became the only bowler in World Cup history to record two hat-tricks.

5 wickets for 56 runs vs Pakistan in Bangladesh (2014):

Sri Lanka won the Asia Cup title for a fifth time thanks to Malinga’s 5/56 performance in the final. After Pakistan decided to bat, his triple strike early in the innings put them on the back foot and reduced them to 18/3. Misbah-ul-Haq and Fawad Alam’s 122-run stand stabilized them, but Malinga removed Misbah for 65 before it could gather momentum. Umar Akmal was the final prey of the death-over specialist in the last over.

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4 wickets for 54 runs vs South Africa in Guyana (2007):

Malinga produced four wickets in four balls against South Africa in the Super Eight match of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2007. In the final two balls of the 45th over, he first picked up the wickets of Shaun Pollock and Andrew Hall. He then completed his hat-trick by finding an outside edge off Jacques Kallis’ bat in the first delivery of his following over. When South Africa still needed three runs to win, Malinga shattered the stumps against Makhaya Ntini with his renowned toe-crusher.

4 wickets for 34 runs vs New Zealand in Cardiff (2013):

Malinga reignited Sri Lankan hopes while defending just 138 runs, getting the important wicket of Kane Williamson and then trapping Daniel Vettori for an lbw to reduce New Zealand to 80/6. The McCullum brothers, captain Brendon and Nathan were both removed during his spirited last over, significantly hindering New Zealand’s pursuit.

4 wickets for 43 runs vs England in Leeds (2019):

Malinga played in his final World Cup with less speed and fitness, but his talents and accuracy remained unaffected. Against England, he initially sent off openers, Jonny Bairstow and James Vince. He returned in the middle overs and claimed crucial scalps of a well-settled Joe Root and the dangerous Jos Buttler.

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