Lankan legend Lasith Malinga bids adieu to World Cup cricket

Malinga finished his career with 56 wickets in four World Cups, the third-highest tally behind Glenn McGrath and Muttiah Muralitharan, another Sri Lankan legend in the list.

Leeds: Sri Lankan bowling great Lasith Malinga bids adieu his favourite platform ODI Cricket World Cup scalping just one wicket- top scorer KL Rahul- conceding 82 runs against India in Sri Lanka's final match of 2019 World Cup here at Headingley on Saturday. With that one wicket, Malinga finished his career with 56 wickets in four World Cups, the third-highest tally behind Glenn McGrath and Muttiah Muralitharan, another Sri Lankan legend in the list.

After the end of the match, Indian players were seen congratulating him on his stellar ODI career. Indian captain Virat Kohli, who was unbeaten when the winning runs were hit, walked up to Malinga and put his arm around the legend.

The 35-year-old bows out of the World Cup as the only bowler to take 10 or more wickets in four editions. He is also the only bowler to take four hat-tricks in World Cup and only pacer to take four wickets in four balls for losing cause.

Indian all-rounder and Malinga's Mumbai Indians teammate Hardik Pandya, who was on the strike when the Lankan pacer bowled the last over of his World Cup career, was also seen greeting Malinga with a smile on his face.

Meanwhile, Jasprit Bumrah, who is often being compared with Malinga for his uncanny ability to bowl perfect toe crushers, hugged his Mumbai Indians teammate and shook hands one final time in international cricket.

Speaking after the match, India vice-captain and Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma said, “Malinga has been a champion bowler for Sri Lanka and then for Mumbai Indians. I have had a great time playing with him. He is a matchwinner.”