Lasith Malinga lit up Kandy with an extraordinary bowling performance, claiming record figures of 5/6 in Sri Lanka’s 3rd T20I against New Zealand yesterday (6th September).
This heroic effort which included his 2nd T20I hat-trick and his second ‘double hat-trick’ in international cricket, helped Sri Lanka avoid a series whitewash as they finished the 3-match series 2-1.
Read More : Malinga lights up Pallekele with another 4 in 4
The cricketing fraternity on social media were more interested in the Ashes test and had less attention on the T20I which New Zealand were pretty much certain to win after restricting Sri Lanka to a below par score of 125.
However, as Malinga reached 100 T20I wickets with the wicket of Colin Munro, becoming the first ever to achieve the feat, the buzz about the game in Kandy started to trend on social media.
Sri Lanka skipper Lasith Malinga becomes the first man to reach ? wickets in T20I cricket! #LEGEND #LasithMalinga ??? pic.twitter.com/k3u0rxcKDD
— Sri Lanka Cricket ?? (@OfficialSLC) 6 September 2019
#SLvNZ: Our very own talented bowler and national Twenty20 captain Lasith Malinga has become the first bowler in Twenty20 internationals to claim 100 wickets.#DFCCBankCup | #NCCKollek pic.twitter.com/99xKtaU5Vg
— Nondescripts C.C. (@NondescriptsCC) 7 September 2019
In no time since setting that record, Malinga, now the only man to complete 100 wickets in all 3 formats of the game, set social media on fire repeating his 4-in-4 after 12 years. The amazed cricket community started to share their thoughts on social media from which we’ve picked some to share with you.
The best out of all was from the Blackcaps official Twitter account, asking for help after they were bamboozled by 4 pin-point Malinga toe-crushers
SEND HELP!
Lasith Malinga has claimed FOUR wickets in FOUR balls! Fast and full swinging yorkers! Game on in Kandy – https://t.co/psprTfyg0T #SLvNZ pic.twitter.com/2TOVewPk8v— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) 6 September 2019
Here are a few more tweets,
The first four-in-four (in 2007) that Malinga got was with reverse swing with the old ball, moving into the right-hander mainly.
This one was conventional swing, new ball, moving away from the right-hander.
A lot of late swing. A crazy amount of skill.
— Andrew Fidel Fernando (@afidelf) 6 September 2019
Munro ✅
Rutherford ✅
de Grandhomme ✅
Taylor ✅Four wickets in four balls ??
L4SITH MALINGA, you absolute beauty ????#OneFamily #CricketMeriJaan #SLvNZ
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) 6 September 2019
History maker #Malinga. Simply amazing ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
— Jasprit Bumrah (@Jaspritbumrah93) 6 September 2019
The great #LasithMalinga. Still has it. 4 in 4 again! May he just keep playing…..
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) 6 September 2019
..WWWW! Another 4 in 4 for the legend, Lasith Malinga! What a bowler! #Legend #KingOfYokers @Lasith99Malinga @ICC @OfficialSLC
— Namal Rajapaksa (@RajapaksaNamal) 6 September 2019
Saw something very special today in Pallekele #Slvnz Lasith Malinga .. what a champion !!! 4 in 4 again
— Russel Arnold (@RusselArnold69) 6 September 2019
Shall never forget the spell of commentary I did describing Lasith Malinga’s 4 in 4. It was a truly special moment in a commentators life.
— Roshan Abeysinghe (@RoshanCricket) 6 September 2019
Just keeps getting better and better! Well done champ?? #slingamalinga #SLvNZ pic.twitter.com/lS8ZaGNgqW
— Farveez Maharoof (@farveezmaharoof) 6 September 2019
Players in the caliber of @Lasith99Malinga are a rarity in the game of cricket. Congratulations Lasith, you’re a game changer. #SLvNZ pic.twitter.com/mAavBiW912
— President of SLC (@SLCPresident) 6 September 2019
What a magnificent performance by @OfficialSLC and hats off Mali aiya on brilliant performance! @Lasith99Malinga
Congratulations team on the win! #LionsRoar #SLvNZ— Lasith Embuldeniya (@LEmbuldeniya) 6 September 2019
What performance by @Lasith99Malinga and @OfficialSLC fantastic effort guys. Congratulations.????
— Kaushal (@SilvaKaushal) 6 September 2019
Malinga also didn’t forget to do this,
Thanks to everyone for wonderful messages nd support it will not possible without support of u fans n family love u all
— Lasith Malinga (@Lasith99Malinga) 7 September 2019
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