Separamadu Lasith Malinga Swarnajith

Full Name: Separamadu Lasith Malinga Swarnajith

Born: 4th September 1983, Galle, Sri Lanka

Batting: Right-hand batsman

Bowling: Right-arm fast

Lasith Malinga is a bowler with a unique round-arm action, a dazzling blonde-streaked curly hairdo, an eyebrow ring and tattooed biceps. Besides all that, he is the strike fast bowler for both Sri Lanka and the Mumbai Indians.

Malinga's explosive and slinging action helps him generate genuine pace and goes a long way in disconcerting a batsman. While he was erratic with his line and length and tended to bowl a bagful of no-balls during the earlier stages of his career, he has gained tremendous control over his bowling since his return from a career-threatening knee injury last June. Besides control, he has mastered a lethal slower delivery, the deceptive slower bouncer and a few other skills.

The 26-year old has not been playing in the longer formats of the game for Sri Lanka since his return from injury. Subsequently, he was used in effective, short bursts by captain Sachin Tendulkar during last year's IPL. Malinga has responded in style, emerging as the leading wicket-taker for Mumbai Indians in IPL Season 2 with 18 scalps, at a strike rate of 16.7 and economy rate of 6.3. His most notable strength in the last twelve months has been his ability to bowl yorkers at will. Malinga was also instrumental in Sri Lanka qualifying for the final of the ICC World Twenty20 in England last year.

He seems to take pleasure in performing at the big stage. Malinga had 18 wickets at 15.77 from 8 matches as Sri Lanka made it to the final of the 2007 World Cup. The finest moment of the event came when Malinga snapped four in four against South Africa - the first time a bowler had taken four wickets off successive deliveries in international cricket.

Test Career Batting and Fielding (2004-2007/08)

	M	I	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	SRate	Ct
Sri Lanka	28	34	13	192	42*	9.14	0	0	36.50	7

Test Career Bowling (2004-2007/08)

	Balls	Mdns	Runs	Wkts	BB	Ave	5wI	10wM	SRate	Econ
Sri Lanka	4777	106	3076	91	5-68	33.80	2	0	52.49	3.86

First-Class Career Batting and Fielding (2001/02-2009/10)

	M	I	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	SRate	Ct
Overall	81	97	41	501	42*	8.94	0	0	37.22	23

First-Class Career Bowling (2001/02-2009/10)

	Balls	Mdns	Runs	Wkts	BB	Ave	5wI	10wM	SRate	Econ
Overall	11453	239	7482	245	6-17	30.53	6	0	46.74	3.91

One-Day International Career Batting and Fielding (2004-2009/10)

	M	I	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	SRate	Ct
Sri Lanka	64	31	12	124	15	6.52	0	0	55.60	11

One-Day International Career Bowling (2004-2009/10)

	Balls	Mdns	Runs	Wkts	BB	Ave	4wI	5wI	SRate	Econ
Sri Lanka	3114	34	2631	90	4-28	29.23	5	0	34.60	5.06

List A Career Batting and Fielding (2001/02-2009/10)

	M	I	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	Ct
Overall	107	58	20	248	23*	6.52	0	0	19

List A Career Bowling (2001/02-2009/10)

	Balls	Mdns	Runs	Wkts	BB	Ave	4wI	5wI	SRate	Econ
Overall	5139	51	4335	166	5-56	26.11	8	1	30.95	5.06

International Twenty20 Career Batting and Fielding (2006-2009/10)

	M	I	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	SRate	Ct
Sri Lanka	20	9	6	60	27	20.00	0	0	120.00	9

International Twenty20 Career Bowling (2006-2009/10)

	Balls	Mdns	Runs	Wkts	BB	Ave	4wI	5wI	SRate	Econ
Sri Lanka	400	0	500	24	3-17	20.83	0	0	16.66	7.50

Twenty20 Career Batting and Fielding (2004/05-2009/10)

	M	I	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	SRate	Ct
Overall	45	15	8	64	27	9.14	0	0	103.22	14

Twenty20 Career Bowling (2004/05-2009/10)

	Balls	Mdns	Runs	Wkts	BB	Ave	4wI	5wI	SRate	Econ
Overall	905	3	1031	52	3-11	19.82	0	0	17.40	6.83