goes in style! Lasith Malinga seals the win in another chase. Seals it with a dipping slower ball. Mustafizur backs away and manages to connect again, but he's hit it high and to the right of Thisara at mid-off who does it for everyone in the stadium after some serious balancing
Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh, 1st ODI at Colombo, SL v BDESH, Jul 26 2019 - Ball by Ball Commentary
11:10pm Lasith Malinga is back for an encore. Yanks the mic from Roshan Abeysinghe's hand, takes the spotlight and addresses the home crowd in the local language. They're listening. they're clapping. They're celebrating. A true rockstar. Thanks for joining us tonight. We hope you enjoyed it.
Dimuth Karunaratne: All the boys are supporting me in the last few months. World Cup and upto here, they've given me their 100%. We're in the right path. We need to improve a few things. I think the World Cup we were quite behind batting-wise, but after the first few games we put our hands up and batted really well. Even today we batted really well. This is the best thing we can give him [Malinga]. Told the boys to give 200% for Mali and they did a great job. Every time we needed Mali, he would take wickets. We need to find the bowler to replace him. I think they will put their hands up and do their job. He's a legend. He's done really well for Sri Lanka. The World Cup, even today, he did a great job. If I gave him the ball, he did the job for me. We'll miss Mali. He's still playing T20s and I think he will lift the World Cup for Sri Lanka.
Tamim Iqbal: I've been struggling a bit. When I'm the captain, I need to start performing well, lead from the front. Today the boys showed character. At one point it looked like 350-360 would be the target. We need to regroup ourselves. Two games to go. Hopefully we can do better. The 15 I have, I'm very happy with them. We just have to keep on trusting them. They have the ability, just have to take responsibility. The good thing is we're still in the competition.
Kusal Perera, Man of the Match:
Feeling much better now. My back was a little stiff. Worked with the pysio. It's getting better now. In the World Cup I played as an opening batsman, but here I played no. 3. Different situations. I always back myself. Sometimes I took calculated risks. Sometimes we have to take some risks. [Malinga] is a legend. He taught us good lessons and is always telling us what we have to do.
Lasith Malinga: I think it's the correct time to retire. I've played last 15 years for Sri Lanka. Really honoured and happy to play with the crowd belong. I feel it's the right time to move [on] because we have to look forward to 2023. That's when I knew my time is over. Winning is very important because we're a young team and we're looking to win. The captain expected me to take a wicket throughout my career [...] I tried my best that's why I succeeded. You have to be yourself. These young bowlers have to now get match-winning performances. People should say, "he is a match winner".
Chamila: "He's a true LEGEND... Thank You Mali...<3"
Aman: "Wicket on last ball of his ODI career. WHAT A LEGEND."
NavrajUpadhyaya: "Mallinga finishing in style. What a way to say goodbye"
Aayush Pathak: "The crowd loud is high but deep inside they are emotional. Love you maali!"
Niraj: "Salute to Malinga, I remember him forever due to his unique bowling action and cute smile..Love from Nepal"
RiwajAdhikari: "A big man with golden curly hair comes hustling around with number 99 and MALINGA written on his back, The toe crushing yorker. Goes underneath the bat. Leg stump goes for the toss. An absolute sight to watch. You will be missed legend. #ThankYouMalinga"
10:38pm Holds up his hands. Lasith Malinga: 226 matches, 338 wickets at 28.87. Finishes ahead of Anil Kumble. Hugs from his team-mates and hugs as he walks through Bangladesh's guard of honour. End of a chase, and warmth all around. It cannot get more Malinga than this. What a career. Even as he goes out 35 years of age, he goes out having been Sri Lanka's best bowler in the innings. Gave Bangladesh NOTHING at the start. On his last day, he still shows the way. A top performance from Sri Lanka otherwise too. Lost their way at the back end of the innings, but the start was sublime. Kusal Perera turned it on yet again. Bangladesh had a short period of recovery, but nothing more.
Goes around the wicket
an absolute video game glitch of a forward defence from Rubel. Slower length ball. He's down expecting a yorker, but is forced to get bat on this. Pushes it wide of first slip
Back over the wicket now
yorker at off stump, watchfully jammed out to cover
clubbed to the midwicket boundary. Ten and 11 having the time of their lives! Slower ball at a length on middle stump, clears the front leg and connects on the slog
Malinga's last over in ODI cricket coming up. "Mali! Mali! Mali!" It just doesn't stop. He's around the wicket. Leg gully and slip in place.
wide of third slip this time! Mustafiz keeps exposing the stumps and miraculously getting bat at full balls aimed at middle. One more down at third man. His highest ODI score
falls safely between deep point, who is running fast at this, and Malinga at third man, who isn't quite interested. Full ball at the stumps, backs away and scythes it high off the outside edge
past the head. Short ball honing in at him. He gets on the floor and manages to let it go
full toss wide outside off. Mustafiz walks into the leg side, shows all three stumps...and leaves
outside edge is past second slip's dive to the left. Length ball in at middle stump, gets the front leg up in protection and flamingo edges this
drilled! That's vicious. Full ball outside off, gets his front leg into the leg side and clubs this from underneath to the extra cover boundary
Pradeep, around the wicket with two slips and a gully
he keeps it out! Slower, dipping yorker on off stump. Rubel with the whirlwind out again...or so it seems until he stops and jams the bat down on this
length outside off, whirlwind batswing nails the drive. Can't get it wide of mid-off
slower ball at a length on middle stump, squares him up as he gets on the back foot to defend. Thick outisde edge to point's right
"Maali! Maali! Maali!" Clap. Clap. Clap.
beaten. Slower ball at a length in the corridor. Looks to slug this to Mirpur, misses by a long way
Flashlights up from one section of the crowd
low full toss just outside off. Looks to crash it through the off side, gets it to mid-on off the inside part of the toe-end
beaten. Offcutter at a length outside off, ripping past the outside edge as he hangs the bat out
Two slips. Malinga.
swatted over point who gives chase and pulls this in. Short ball in the corridor, looks to pull and has no intention of getting the ball there. He doesn't have a say in this
past the edge and over the stumps. Short of a length and angled in at the body. Squared up. Mendis appeals! Can you believe him!
length ball in the corridor, straightens after angling in and beats the outside edge
Around the wicket, two slips in
top of off! Pradeep is swarmed by his team-mates who are no doubt telling him to leave on for Malinga. Regulation length ball aimed for top of off. Shafiul defends inside the line and is beaten on the outside edge
full and just outside off, sliced to point's right
taken down leg side! Mendis moving quickly. Rahim has been limping, his feet weren't as quick as he stepped into the off side to try and ramp this fine. Got bat on it but hardly the connection he wanted. That should be that, surely?