Lasith Malinga Breaks Another Record at ICC Cricket World Cup 2019

Lasith Malinga, on Saturday became the third highest wicket taker in World Cup history surpassing the legendary Wasim Akram. His three wicket haul against the West Indies in the previous match saw him equal Wasim Akram’s tally of 55 World Cup wickets.

Malinga, playing his final One Day International match against India, managed to pick up one more wicket to get ahead of Wasim Akram in a list comprising of some great names like Glenn McGrath, Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas and Zaheer Khan.

Malinga played his first World Cup in 2007 in the Caribbean, where he finished with 18 wickets and was one of the key players in Sri Lanka’s run to the final. The 35 year old pacer also became the first bowler ever to pick four wickets in four balls in ODIs during that edition. He achieved that feat against South Africa at Providence, Guyana, in a match which the Proteas narrowly won.

The pacer has taken more than 10 wickets in each of the World Cups he played. In 2011, he was again a vital cog in Sri Lanka’s journey to the finals with 12 wickets in seven games. The 2015 edition of the Cricket World Cup saw the Mumbai Indians pacer take 12 wickets in seven matches making him the leading wicket taker of his country.

This year, he has picked up 13 wickets in nine games and has bid adieu to the international game after Sri Lanka failed to reach the semi-finals.

In World Cups, Malinga’s tally of 56 wickets is bettered only by the elite Glenn McGrath (71 wickets) and his fellow countryman Muttaih Muralitharan (68 wickets).

Sri Lankan cricket congratulated him on twitter. “Lasith Malinga ends his World Cup career as the 3rd highest wicket taker in the CWC history with 56 wickets! #Legend Most wickets in World Cups: 71 G McGrath, 68 M Muralitharan, 56 L MALINGA, 55 Wasim Akram, 49 C Vaas,” the tweet read.