How Malinga's slower dippers sucker-punched Bangladesh
Double-strikes, double-drops, and triple-strikes feature in the plays of the day from the second T20I between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at the Khettarama
Andrew Fidel Fernando in Colombo
06-Apr-2017
Lasith Malinga celebrates his first T20I hat-trick with a big roar • Associated Press
The slower-ball salvo
Lasith Malinga is the only bowler to have claimed three ODI hat-tricks. So, perhaps, it is only fitting he should have one in the format for which he is most famed. It has been a while since he was at his fastest, or his fittest, but what he lacked for firepower, he made up for in wiles. Mushfiqur Rahim was first to be dismissed - bowled by an offcutter that evaded his slog sweep and shaved off stump. Mashrafe Mortaza was also bowled by a delivery that dived on him. Having watched Malinga bowl four slower balls in succession now, debutant Mehedi Hasan perhaps expected the quick one, but was done in by another slow dipper - the ball hitting him on the pads in front of the stumps. When the umpire raised his finger, Khettarama broke into raptures.
Lasith Malinga is the only bowler to have claimed three ODI hat-tricks. So, perhaps, it is only fitting he should have one in the format for which he is most famed. It has been a while since he was at his fastest, or his fittest, but what he lacked for firepower, he made up for in wiles. Mushfiqur Rahim was first to be dismissed - bowled by an offcutter that evaded his slog sweep and shaved off stump. Mashrafe Mortaza was also bowled by a delivery that dived on him. Having watched Malinga bowl four slower balls in succession now, debutant Mehedi Hasan perhaps expected the quick one, but was done in by another slow dipper - the ball hitting him on the pads in front of the stumps. When the umpire raised his finger, Khettarama broke into raptures.
The fumble
Mashrafe had largely had an unremarkable final match and in the 14th over missed the chance to shut the door on a struggling Sri Lanka. Chamara Kapugedara had hit the ball to fine leg, taken the first run quickly and was halfway down the pitch for the second, when Seekkuge Prasanna sent him back. Mushfiqur collected the return throw and attempted to relay the ball to Mashrafe at the non-striker's end, but though Mashrafe was in position, and the throw came in adjacent to the stumps, Mashrafe leaned over the wickets and attempted to take the ball in front of the stumps and fumbled it. Kapugedara was allowed to live on - if only for a few more overs.
Mashrafe had largely had an unremarkable final match and in the 14th over missed the chance to shut the door on a struggling Sri Lanka. Chamara Kapugedara had hit the ball to fine leg, taken the first run quickly and was halfway down the pitch for the second, when Seekkuge Prasanna sent him back. Mushfiqur collected the return throw and attempted to relay the ball to Mashrafe at the non-striker's end, but though Mashrafe was in position, and the throw came in adjacent to the stumps, Mashrafe leaned over the wickets and attempted to take the ball in front of the stumps and fumbled it. Kapugedara was allowed to live on - if only for a few more overs.
The first-up double-strike
Mustafizur Rahman has turned many a match for Bangladesh in the past two years, and he bowled a definitive over again in this match, claiming two wickets off his first two balls off the evening. The first one was angled across Asela Gunaratne, and though the batsman struck the ball well, he hit it straight to the cover fielder, at throat height. The next ball was slightly overpitched again, but this time to left-hander Milinda Siriwardana. He ventured a square drive, but picked out point.
Mustafizur Rahman has turned many a match for Bangladesh in the past two years, and he bowled a definitive over again in this match, claiming two wickets off his first two balls off the evening. The first one was angled across Asela Gunaratne, and though the batsman struck the ball well, he hit it straight to the cover fielder, at throat height. The next ball was slightly overpitched again, but this time to left-hander Milinda Siriwardana. He ventured a square drive, but picked out point.
The double-drop
Having largely fielded well in the last two matches, the drops returned to Sri Lanka's cricket on Thursday. Both of these chances were tough, but they would be telling. Shakib Al Hasan was on four off five balls when he slammed Seekkuge Prasanna towards deep square leg, only for Vikum Sanjaya to fail to hold on to a difficult running catch. Two balls later, he top-edged another one towards deep midwicket, which the advancing Dilshan Munaweera failed to cling to. Shakib would go on to top-score for Bangladesh with 38 off 31 balls.
Having largely fielded well in the last two matches, the drops returned to Sri Lanka's cricket on Thursday. Both of these chances were tough, but they would be telling. Shakib Al Hasan was on four off five balls when he slammed Seekkuge Prasanna towards deep square leg, only for Vikum Sanjaya to fail to hold on to a difficult running catch. Two balls later, he top-edged another one towards deep midwicket, which the advancing Dilshan Munaweera failed to cling to. Shakib would go on to top-score for Bangladesh with 38 off 31 balls.
Andrew Fidel Fernando is ESPNcricinfo's Sri Lanka correspondent. @andrewffernando