Kandy: Sri Lanka's legendary bowler Lasith Malinga created history by becoming the first bowler in T20I cricket to take 100 wickets. The right-hand pacer achieved the feat when he clinched hat-trick in the third T20I against New Zealand.
In the first match of the series Malinga, who is also known as Yorker King, went pass Pakistan spinner Shahid Afridi's tally of 97 wickets to claim number 1 spot in leading T20I wicket-takers list.
Malinga's 100th wicket was Kiwi batsman Colin Munro. Not just that but Malinga went on to take a hat-trick in the match and to make it even more special he took four wickets in four back to back balls.
He sent Hamish Rutherford, Colin de Grandhomme and Ross Taylor followed Munro to the pavilion on consecutive deliveries.
Malinga also went past Wasim Akram and set a record for the most number of hat-tricks (5) in international cricket. Malinga has 3 hat-tricks in ODIs and two T20I hat-tricks, while Akram had 2 in Tests and as many in ODIs.
Earlier, in 2007 World Cup in South Africa, Malinga had achieved similar feat against the host where he picked four wickets in four balls.
Malinga, known for bowling yorkers with his slinging action, made his T20I debut against England in 2006.
