Lasith Malinga reaches a new milestone: The first bowler to take 150 IPL wickets

A Sri Lankan pacer roughly 5 ft in height steams in with his blonde curls bouncing as he runs towards the bowling mark, right arm moves behind a little as if the trigger of a gun is being pulled, and then stretches out at an angle unusual for fast bowlers, shooting the ball like a bullet onto the stumps, the batsmen unable to dodge this bullet like ball, misses it and it leaves his stumps shattered. How accustomed have we grown to watching this sight every time Lasith Malinga has the ball?

Lasith Malinga has been a key component of the Mumbai Indians set up ever since the 2009 season of the IPL, and has been loyal to the franchise since then. On Saturday, 7 May Malinga became the first bowler to take 150 wickets in the IPL. Malinga achieved this feat during Mumbai Indian’s Match against the Delhi Daredevils, where Mumbai crushed the Delhi side and recorded a victory with a margin of 146 runs, the highest in the tournaments history.

Malinga took two wickets in the match. Young Shreyas Iyer was the legendary bowler’s 150 scalp in the IPL. His ability to churn out accurate yorkers at will and an unusual action has made him one of the most feared bowlers in T20 cricket. Having been in the business for almost around twenty years doesn’t change anything, as even the best batsmen have been unable to read his action, because of which he had been fondly named the ‘Slinga-Malinga’.

Malinga has featured in 105 IPL matches and has 151 scalps in his kitty.He was the purple cap winner of the 2014 season of the IPL with 28 scalps to his name. He also played a key role in Mumbai Indian’s title victory in 2013 and 2015 seasons taking 20 and 24 wickets respectively. The celebrated pacer had missed the 2008 and 2016 season of the IPL owing to injuries, however he is back this IPL having featured in seven matches, and picking eight wickets thus far.

In the all time highest wicket takers list for the IPL, Lasith Malinga is followed my Amit Mishra who has pocketed 133 wickets; while Harbhajan Singh is third with 127 wickets.

Here is a tribute to Lasith Malinga by his IPL franchise the Mumbai Indians, after the former became the first to reach 150 IPL wickets;