Lasith Malinga retires: ‘Happy retirement, Yorker King’, Twitter reacts to Sri Lanka legend’s announcement – Firstcricket News, Firstpost

Legendary Sri Lankan pacer Lasith Malinga called it a day in Twenty20 Cricket on Tuesday to bring an illustrious cricketing career to an end.

Malinga, one of the most decorated limited-overs bowlers of all time, announced his decision a little over a month before the ICC T20 World Cup in UAE, for which he was overlooked. The seamer had already retired from the Test and One-Day Internationals in 2011 and 2019 respectively.

The pacer, nicknamed Slinga for his unique wide-arm bowling action, had earlier led the Lankans to the 2014 ICC World T20 victory after taking over the reigns of the team from Dinesh Chandimal midway through the event, going on to beat neighbours India in the summit clash in Dhaka. It was their first victory in the final of a major event since their 1996 World Cup victory.

Lasith Malinga made his Sri Lanka debut in 2004, going on to play 30 Tests, 226 ODIs and 84 T20Is. AP

Malinga, who last donned the Sri Lankan jersey in the second T20I against West Indies in Pallekele in March earlier this year, ends with 546 international wickets, 338 of which came in the ODI format.

“Hanging up my #T20 shoes and #retiring from all forms of cricket! Thankful to all those who supported me in my journey, and looking forward to sharing my experience with young cricketers in the years to come,” Malinga wrote in a post on his Twitter account on Tuesday.

Malinga had also quit franchise cricket in January earlier this year after not being retained my IPL powerhouse Mumbai Indians, whom he had represented since 2009. The Sri Lankan has the distinction of being the most successful bowler in the history of the league with 170 scalps to his name.

Let us take a look at some of the reactions to his retirement on social networking website Twitter, from his Sri Lankan and Mumbai Indians teammates and others from the cricketing fraternity: