Lasith Malinga Birthday Special: 4/24 vs KKR & Other Staggering Performances by Mumbai Indians Pacer in IPL
Lasith Malinga has been spearheading Mumbai Indians’ pace attack since the 2009 edition of IPL, and his record is nothing but staggering. With 170 wickets from 122 games, the right-arm pacer is the highest wicket-taker in the tournament’s history. Also, he has played a vital role in guiding the Rohit Sharma-led team to the title four times.
One of the finest fast bowlers ever, Lasith Malinga turns 37 on Friday (August 28, 2020) and birthday wishes are pouring in for him from all around the world. Hailing from Galle, the Sri Lankan pacer has every weapon in his armoury which a bowler needs to thrive in white-ball cricket. Be it taking wickets with the new ball or tormenting the batsmen in the death overs, Malinga is a force to reckon with in all the departments. Also, his unorthodox slinging action makes the batsmen’s job even more difficult. The veteran bowler has also proved his mettle in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Below, we’ll look at some of his best spells in the gala tournament. IPL 2020 Players’ Update: MI Star Lasith Malinga Set to Miss Initial Part of the Tournament.
Malinga has been spearheading Mumbai Indians’ pace attack since the 2009 edition of IPL, and his record is nothing but staggering. With 170 wickets from 122 games, the right-arm pacer is the highest wicket-taker in the tournament’s history. Also, he has played a vital role in guiding the Rohit Sharma-led team to the title four times. Well, the veteran pacer still has a lot of fire in his tank, and he’ll like to showcase his blitzes in 2020 too. Meanwhile, as the talismanic pacer turns a year older, let’s look at some of his best spells in IPL. MI Team Profile for IPL 2020: Mumbai Indians Squad in UAE, Stats & Records and Full List of Players Ahead of Indian Premier League Season 13.
4/22 vs Kings XI Punjab in 2010
Another Lasith Malinga special came during the Mumbai Indians vs Kings XI Punjab match in IPL 2020 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. After dismissing Manvinder Bisla with the new ball, the talismanic pacer came back in the death overs, and the dismissed the likes of Shaun Marsh and Irfan Pathan. His efforts proved to be fruitful as KXIP got packed for 163 runs and Mumbai Indians went on to win the game by four wickets.
5/13 Vs Delhi Daredevils in 2011
Malinga breathed fire with the ball against Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) in IPL 2011 and claimed a brilliant five-wicket haul. The right-arm pacer made impeccable use of the Delhi conditions and took wickets in regular intervals. As a result, the Virender Sehwag-led team were bundled out for just 95 runs while batting first. MI went on to win the game by eight wickets, and Malinga received the Man of the Match Award.
4/16 vs Deccan Chargers in 2012
Malinga did the talking with the ball during MI’s fixture against the now-defunct Deccan Chargers in IPL 2012. He dismissed skipper Cameron White for a golden duck before running through DC’s lower order. The seasoned pacer scalped four wickets in total as Deccan Chargers got all out for just 100 in Mumbai. Courtesy his efforts, the Sachin Tendulkar-led team went on to win the game by five wickets.
4/24 vs Kolkata Knight Riders in 2014
Jacques Kallis and Manish Pandey were smashing boundaries for fun during KKR’s match against Mumbai Indians in IPL 2014. However, the duo wasn’t able to dominate Malinga. The right-arm pacer put up an exhibition of fast bowling in the death overs as the Gautam Gambhir-led side could only post 163/5 despite a great start. Unfortunately, Malinga’s efforts went in vain as KKR won the game by 41 runs.
4/31 vs Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2019
The Mumbai track was looking ideal for batting during MI’s IPL-2019 clash against Virat Kohli’s RCB. However, Malinga had other plans, and he rattled Bangalore’s middle order. He gave Mumbai a major breakthrough by dismissing the dangerous-looking Moeen Ali before sending Marcus Stoinis and Akshdeep Nath to the pavilion. Riding of his efforts, Rohit Sharma’s men went to clinch the game by five wickets.
Malinga will once again be seen in action during the Indian Premier League 2020 which will take place in UAE. However, he’s likely to miss the first few games of Mumbai Indians as his father is unwell. Nevertheless, the legendary pacer is expected to participate in the major part of the tournament and will like to guide Mumbai Indians to their fifth IPL title.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 28, 2020 08:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).