Lasith Malinga terms all his hat-tricks as 'special'

One of the world’s best bowlers, Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga had taken 3 hat-tricks in international cricket. And in the on-going Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka series, he added one more hat-trick under his belt. With this, he became the second bowler to take four ‘separate’ international hat-tricks, after Pakistan’s Wasim Akram.

His first hat-trick came in the 2007 World Cup against South Africa when he removed Shaun Pollock, Andrew Hall, Jacques Kallis and Makayha Ntini. He took a hat-trick in the 2011 World Cup too, dismissing Tanmay Mishra, Peter Ongondo Shem Ngoche of Kenya.

Malinga, who has been an integral part of the Mumbai Indians set-up, is now in Mumbai to take part in the tenth edition of the Indian Premier League. Speaking to Deccan Chronicles he said, “I have a double hat-trick against South Africa, and one hat-trick each against Australia, Kenya and Bangladesh. So my tally is five, one more than Wasim Akram.”

Wasim Akram also has achieved a quartet of international hat-tricks, having collected two in Tests and two in one-day internationals. When the reporter reminded Malinga that his four wickets in four games in 2007 cannot be called 2 different hat-tricks, he agreed, “If so (not two separate hat-tricks) then it is four”.

“I don’t rate my hat-tricks. All hat-tricks are special to me. All hat-tricks are important and dear to me. It is the result of my hard work,” he added.

However, despite the hat-trick against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka could not win the game.

“Yes, I was disappointed when my team could not win the last match against Bangladesh despite my hat-trick. Obviously the entire team and reserve players were disappointed.”

The fiery fast bowler missed the first MI match of the season due to international commitments but will be back in action when Mumbai Indians take on the Kolkata Knight Riders in their second outing.