Former Sri Lankan fast bowler Lasith Malinga turned 42 years old. This right-arm fast bowler showcased remarkable bowling prowess in international cricket and consistently made headlines for his unique bowling action. Born on August 28th in Galle, Sri Lanka, this player, hailing from a small village, gained worldwide recognition upon entering international cricket. Let’s delve into Malinga’s journey, celebrating his birthday, and explore his career’s origins and his impact in international cricket and the IPL.
Lasith Malinga was born in Ratgama, a village 12 km from Galle, where he played cricket by the sea. His father was a mechanic at the Galle bus depot. Despite being born into a modest family, Malinga possessed extraordinary talent. This player had the ability to bowl accurate yorkers with a distinctive action, a skill recognized as early as 1993. Malinga joined Vidyaloka College in his fifth grade, marking the beginning of his cricket career. Chaminda Vaas, former Sri Lankan fast bowler, recognized his talent and dedicated himself to nurturing Malinga’s skills.
Malinga’s Entry into the Australian Tour
Malinga made his debut in the Sri Lankan cricket team in 2004. He played his Test debut against Australia in Darwin. Malinga’s first international wicket was Darren Lehmann, and he also took the wicket of Gilchrist. Malinga played only 30 Tests for Sri Lanka but took 101 wickets. He was quite successful in ODIs, taking 338 wickets, and in T20s, he secured 107 dismissals. Malinga took a total of 546 wickets in his international career.
Malinga’s IPL Career
Besides international cricket, Malinga also made a name for himself in the IPL. He first played for the Mumbai Indians in 2008 and continued with the team until 2019. Malinga took 179 wickets in 127 IPL matches, with an economy rate of 6.88. Based on his talent, Malinga earned approximately 50 crore rupees as a player in the IPL.