The champion fast bowler from Sri Lanka, Lasith Malinga, announced his retirement from the shortest format of the game on Tuesday, 14th September, marking the end of his career in International Cricket.
Malinga had already retired from Test (2011) and One-dayers (2019). The stalwarts of the game from all over the world tweeted praises and congratulations on a spectacular career which was unique by all means.
The very first among them were the Sri Lankan greats, Mahela Jayawardena and Kumar Sangakkara.
Jayawardena reminisced his memories of meeting Malinga for the first time while Sangakkara said “Your contribution to Sri Lanka and world cricket will stand for all time.”
Mahela Jayawardena
Time I first faced you in the Galle nets as a 18 year old net bowler to the Curly coloured hair icon you have left us with amazing memories!! Fantastic team mate.. wishing you all the very best my friend and thank you!! https://t.co/IV7HiZLh0i
— Mahela Jayawardena (@MahelaJay) September 14, 2021
Kumar Sangakkara
Congrats on an awesome career. Your contribution to Sri Lanka and world cricket will stand for all time. Been such a pleasure playing with you. All the very best in what you decide to do from now. So much knowledge to give. Legend !!! https://t.co/iuvu3pI9ip
— Kumar Sangakkara (@KumarSanga2) September 14, 2021
Former Sri Lankan fast bowling great Chaminda Vaas also congratulated this special speedster.
Congratulations on a glorious cricket career!
The players, the fans and the game itself will miss you. All the best on your next innings. https://t.co/eLk7AcJZAy— Chaminda Vaas (@chaminda_vaas) September 15, 2021
A few other former and present cricketers who played alongside this legendary cricketer took it as an opportunity to praise an extraordinary career that unfolded in their presence.
Farveez Maharoof
Was a honor & great memories turning up to train , play for @OfficialSLC @NondescriptsCC and many other domestics teams for 15 years. Happy retirement life brother & I’m sure your invaluable experience will be great help for the youngsters in the cricketing system👍🏽 good luck! https://t.co/zcEq7oDf57
— Farveez Maharoof (@farveezmaharoof) September 14, 2021
Upul Tharanga
I had the chance to play against you during school days. Glad I had the absolute privilege to play with you in the international stage as well. One of the best in the game. Best wishes for your future legend @ninety9sl pic.twitter.com/2WxpqAxJei
— Upul Tharanga (@upultharanga44) September 14, 2021
Dhammika Prasad
It was great pleasure to share dressing room with you and we were started cricket from same years and we had some good memories as well as the bad. I would like to wish all the very best for your future endeavors. Stay blessed. May god bless you. Good bye legend. Thank you. https://t.co/mHrqjUStNN
— Dhammika Prasad (@imDhammika) September 14, 2021
Angelo Mathews
Congratulations on a remarkable career @ninety9sl lots of fond memories together ! Wishing you all the best for life after retirement pic.twitter.com/FBEJDnHKGz
— Angelo Mathews (@Angelo69Mathews) September 14, 2021
Malinga was a keen advocate of the game. He loved passing whatever knowledge he had gained on the game to the next generation. And a few such youngsters who were lucky enough to have played under Malinga too thanked him for his services to the nation.
Dasun Shanaka
Wish you all the best for your future career Mali aiya.. You are truly a legend in the Cricket world.. 🏆🔥@ninety9sl ♥️ pic.twitter.com/qAwD8dHIHL
— Dasun Shanaka (@dasunshanaka1) September 14, 2021
Avishka Fernando
Congratulations on a fantastic career. Your contribution to mother Sri Lanka and world cricket will be remembered forever. wishing you all the very best in your retirement @ninety9sl Aiya. ♥️ pic.twitter.com/ByGlhSyE09
— Avishka Fernando (@Avishka28) September 15, 2021
Dinesh Chandimal
Dear Mali aiya,Thank you so much for everything you have done for Sri Lanka cricket..Your service was priceless & all the very best for your future endeavors.I’ll never forget my 1st international 100 recorded with the bat you gave me.thank you for all the memories 👏 @ninety9sl pic.twitter.com/yCaiMVkOC0
— dinesh chandimal (@chandi_17) September 15, 2021
Lahiru Thririmanne
What an absolutely remarkable career mali ayya. Loved by a whole world. Not an easy task to play with an unique action for such a long time. Happy retirement mali ayya enjoy @ninety9sl
— Lahiru Thirimanna (@thiri66) September 14, 2021
The slinga was a prominent figure in the IPL and that made him a household name in the 1.3 billion-populated country. Several Indian cricketers too wrote wishes for this T20 specialist, most of them were his teammates at Mumbai Indians.
Rohit Sharma
Mali, you have been a champion cricketer. Well done on your wonderful career. Best wishes ahead @ninety9sl https://t.co/fDGOg1ZBT7
— Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) September 14, 2021
Dinesh Karthik
From the unique bowling action to those yorkers, Lasith Malinga was easily one of the toughest bowlers I ever played against. Fond memories with him in the MI dressing room as well.
Wish you well for the 2nd innings mate. @ninety9sl pic.twitter.com/d8F2QZMvFO— DK (@DineshKarthik) September 14, 2021
Jasprit Bumrah
Congratulations on an illustrious career, Mali and all the very best for everything the future holds. It was a pleasure playing alongside you. https://t.co/8dkjndMgQ2
— Jasprit Bumrah (@Jaspritbumrah93) September 14, 2021
Surya Kumar Yadav
Congratulations on such an outstanding career, filled with glory @ninety9sl 🤩
Wish you all the happiness and success as you enter this new chapter 😇#Malingaaaa 🙌🏽 pic.twitter.com/YtxgRh1q6v— Surya Kumar Yadav (@surya_14kumar) September 14, 2021
Suresh Raina
Congratulations on an outstanding career brother. It was an honour playing with you. You have always been an inspiration. Wishing you lots of success ahead. @ninety9sl https://t.co/U571A6NG6q
— Suresh Raina🇮🇳 (@ImRaina) September 15, 2021
R Ashwin
Being different is always frowned upon and @ninety9sl walked that road for so many years with great success. Well done on a great career and all the best for what lies ahead. 👍🏻👍🏻 #malinga
— Mask up and take your vaccine🙏🙏🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) September 15, 2021
Abhinav Mukund
An inspiration to anyone taking up cricket professionally from tennis ball,his unorthodox style redefined #t20 bowling. Many loved his death bowling,but my favourite was the inswinging yorker with the new ball.Happy retirement #lasithmalinga!#Legend #Yorkers #Retirement
— Abhinav mukund (@mukundabhinav) September 14, 2021
Dhawal Kulkarni
Many Congratulations on an outstanding career @ninety9sl . You have been an inspiration for youngsters like me. It was an honour playing with you. Best wishes for your second innings !
Happy Retirement 👍🏻 pic.twitter.com/Mm5XYArfp6
— Dhawal Kulkarni (@dhawal_kulkarni) September 15, 2021
“What a remarkable career.” A few masterminds of the sport too tweeted their admiration.
AB de Villiers
What a wonderful Cricketer and person! Congrats on a great career. Always enjoyed our battles @ninety9sl https://t.co/esEpMCZZTs
— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) September 14, 2021
Tom Moody
What a remarkable career. Congratulations Mali, an absolute privilege to be part of an extraordinary journey. Your impact on the game has been something you should be extremely proud of. https://t.co/tNxqJhhqZN
— Tom Moody (@TomMoodyCricket) September 14, 2021
Anil Kumble
Congratulations Mali on a great career. A true Champion ! Have a wonderful second innings. https://t.co/m39TgLjwgC
— Anil Kumble (@anilkumble1074) September 14, 2021
Of course, Mumbai Indians did not forget to congratulate their favourite star. They went all out on twitter!
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. 💙#OneFamily #MumbaiIndians @ninety9sl pic.twitter.com/5HWV4Tj5zS
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) September 14, 2021
Popular sounds from Mumbai:
🔹Local train passing by
🔹BEST bus horn
🔹Kali-pili taxi meter
𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗵𝗲𝗱𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘇𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗠𝗔 – 𝗟𝗜𝗡 – 𝗚𝗔𝗔𝗔𝗔Thank you Mali for all the memories! 💙 https://t.co/is0hyXpF2q
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) September 14, 2021
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗲𝘀. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀. 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗵𝗲𝗱𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿! 🐐💙#OneFamily #MumbaiIndians #ThankYouMalinga @ninety9sl pic.twitter.com/mP9rbokDDw
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) September 14, 2021
When it’s time for the final over and Rohit tosses the ball to Mali. So many of these ended with us celebrating. Champion!#OneFamily #MumbaiIndians #ThankYouMalinga @ninety9sl @ImRo45 https://t.co/2H5yASrPsw
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) September 14, 2021
To add the icing on the cake a few media personel too posted a few words of appreciation for Malinga.
Andrew Fidel Fernando
An innovator, death-overs monster, and a bowler with a claim to being the best T20 has seen. Ice-cool on the field; a firebrand off it when he felt wronged.
Here’s my 2018 longread profile on him:https://t.co/q0zOyi86pk https://t.co/YPHNVSkPRn
— Andrew Fidel Fernando (@afidelf) September 14, 2021
Vithushan Ehantharajah
Took the flat-pack opinions of Sri Lankan cricket’s unorthodoxy to a level where the talent was adored and the hard work replicated. An undisputed great. https://t.co/dHJA4HtApY
— Vithushan Ehantharajah (@Vitu_E) September 14, 2021
Harsha Bhogle
One of Sri Lanka’s finest, and one of the greatest #IPL players ever, #LasithMalinga says goodbye to the game. The chants of Maa-lin-gaa Maa-lin-gaa from the @mipaltan fans at the Wankhede Stadium will be part of #IPL folklore.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) September 14, 2021
These were all just a few words which surfaced on twitter, but we all know everyone who saw Malinga bowl would have uttered a few words of appreciation when they heard of his retirement. One word would have been unanimous among all of them, “Legend.”
After 17 years of service to 🇱🇰, he’s earned his rest! #ThankYouMalinga pic.twitter.com/veal4VwiPb
— ThePapare.com (@ThePapareSports) September 14, 2021
