Malinga achieved everything in T20s: Mumbai Indians hail former Sri Lankan pacer
The most successful franchise of the Indian Premier League, the Mumbai Indians, paid a glorious tribute to former fast bowler Lasith Malinga, who announced his retirement from cricket on Tuesday.
Malinga had already retired from Test (2011) and ODI (2019) cricket. The 38-year-old announced his T20 retirement on social media to end his decorated 17-year career.
Apart from his exploits in the shorter forms of international cricket, Malinga is also an IPL legend and the most successful bowler in the tournament’s history with 170 wickets for Mumbai Indians.
He won 4 IPL trophies (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019) and two Champions League T20 titles in 2011 and 2013.
“From crushing batsmen’s toes to getting lifted on shoulders, Mali achieved everything in T20s. As he announces his retirement from T20 cricket, we just have three words to say – Thank. You. Malinga,” MI posted on Instagram.
Such was his popularity in Mumbai that the chants of MA-LIN-GAA reverberated around the Wankhede Stadium whenever he had the cricket ball in his hands for MI.
“Popular sounds from Mumbai: Local train passing by, BEST bus horn, Kali-pili taxi meter and Wankhede buzzing with MA – LIN – GAAAA,” MI wrote in another post.
A fearsome pacer known for his menacing yorkers, Malinga is still the leading wicket-taker in the shortest format of international cricket and the first to complete a century of scalps in T20Is.
Malinga captained the Sri Lankan T20 team to victory in the 2014 World Cup and is the only bowler to have taken 4 wickets in 4 balls in a row on two occasions in international cricket. Malinga is also the only bowler to take 3 ODI hat-tricks and two in T20I cricket.
