Rohit Sharma picks biggest match-winner for MI in last 10 years

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Showering praise on Lasith Malinga, who played his last ODI at Colombo on Friday, India vice captain Rohit Sharma said the Sri Lanka fast bowler will be on top of the list if he had to choose the biggest match-winner for Mumbai Indians in the last 10 years.

In his last ODI Malinga returned with figures of 3 for 38 in his 9.4 overs. He scalped the last wicket of Bangladesh’s inning, leading Sri Lanka to a comfortable 91-run win in the first ODI at Colombo.

Malinga, who has been a part of IPL franchise Mumbai Indians for the last 11 seasons – 1o as a player – was picked by Rohit, who has led MI to 4 IPL titles as his tension reliever.

“If I had to pick one match winner among many others for @mipaltan in the last decade, this man will be on the top for sure. As a captain he give me breather during tense situation and he never failed to deliver, such was his presence within the team. Best wishes LM for the future,” Rohit Sharma wrote on his Twitter account.

Rohit Sharma✔@ImRo45

If I had to pick one match winner among many others for @mipaltan in the last decade, this man will be on the top for sure. As a captain he give me breather during tense situation and he never failed to deliver, such was his presence within the team. Best wishes LM for the future

Apart from picking up 338 wickets in 226 ODIs – the 9th most in list of highest wicket takers of the world – Malinga also sits on top of IPL’s list with most number of wickets.

In his 15-year-long cricketing career, the bowler remained in highlight for his action, unique hairstyle, and moreover for his bowling.

Malinga was the team’s highest wicket-taker in the recently concluded ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. He took 13 wickets in the tournament from seven innings.

Malinga is the only bowler to have taken three ODI hat-tricks. He attained a career-high points tally of 675 after a memorable spell of three for 22 against Bangladesh in Colombo on July 2007.

His highest ranking was seventh in November 2011, achieved against Pakistan in Dubai.

Malinga had retired from Test cricket in 2011, but he had continued to play other formats since then.