‘Baby Malinga’ gets maiden national call-up
Sri Lanka this week named teenage fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana in the provisional T20 squad for the three-match home series against Australia, following youngster’s dream debut at the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The 19-year-old playing for Chennai Super Kings became the cynosure of all eyes due to his unusual bowling action similar to that of legendary Lasith Malinga.
Pathirana, trapped Shubman Gill of Gujart Titans lbw with his first ball in the IPL to return impressive figures of of 3.1-0-24-2 on debut, which also included the wicket of Hardik Pandya.
Since then he has received heaps of praise from many including his skipper MS Dhoni.
“He is an excellent death bowler,” Dhoni said. “A bit similar to Malinga. Also what happens with his action, the margin of error for him is quite big. With a slingy action he doesn’t get a lot of bounce. Which means even if he commits an error of one yard, it is not like it will hit the middle of the bat. It wouldn’t bounce a lot.
“With his action, it is slightly difficult to pick. And he has got that slower one also. So you have to watch him very carefully. Which means when you spend those extra seconds watching the ball and he is bowling at a decent pace, it becomes quite difficult to consistently hit him.”
Former New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori, said Pathirana is ‘an even more extreme example of Malinga’.
“I think he is an even more extreme example of Malinga. “He sort of reaches back and doesn’t even look like he is looking at the target. Whereas Malinga felt like he still had his eyes on what he is doing. But he obviously caught batsmen by surprise. Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya are quality players,” Vettori was quoted by ESPNCricinfo.
“That surprise element still comes from the ball coming from a completely different angle to the one you are used to. His accuracy was good enough and once he adds those variations, he can be the sort of bowler who disrupts the T20 game”.
| Sri Lanka provisional Test squad: Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Oshada Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya De Silva, Kamindu Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella, Dinesh Chandimal, Chamika Karunaratne, Ramesh Mendis, Mohamed Shiraz, Shiran Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando, Asitha Fernando, Jeffrey Vandersay, Lakshitha Rasanjana, Praveen Jayawickrama, Lasith Embuldeniya, Suminda Lakshan Sri Lanka provisional ODI squad: Dasun Shanaka (c), Danushka Gunathilaka, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dhananjaya De Silva, Ashen Bandara, Dinesh Chandimal, Niroshan Dickwella, Janith Liyanage, Dunith Wellalage, Dhananjaya Lakshan, Sahan Arachchi, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Lahiru Madushanka, Ramesh Mendis, Dushmantha Chameera, Binura Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha, Jeffrey Vandersay, Maheesh Theekshana, Praveen Jayawickrama Sri Lanka provisional T20I squad: Dasun Shanaka (c), Danushka Guanathilaka, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Ashen Bandara, Niroshan Dickwella, Dunith Wellalage, Dhananjaya Lakshan, Sahan Aarachchi, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Lahiru Madushanka, Ramesh Mendis, Dushmantha Chameera, Binura Fernando, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwan Thushara, Kasun Rajitha, Nipun Malinga, Lahiru Kumara, Jeffrey Vandersay, Maheesh Theekshana, Praveen Jayawickrama, Lakshan Sandakan
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| Australia Tour of Sri Lanka, 2022 Australia’s T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner, Matthew Wade June 7: First T20, Colombo June 8: Second T20, Colombo June 11: Third T20, Kandy Australia’s ODI squad: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner June 14: First ODI, Kandy June 16: Second ODI, Kandy June 19: Third ODI, Colombo June 21: Fourth ODI, Colombo June 24: Fifth ODI, Colombo Australia’s Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner June 29 – July 3: First Test, Galle July 8-12: Second Test, Galle Australia A fixtures Squad: Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Pete Handscomb, Aaron Hardie, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Henry Hunt, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Nic Maddinson, Todd Murphy, Josh Philippe, Matt Renshaw, Jhye Richardson, Tanveer Sangha, Mark Steketee June 8: First one-day game v Sri Lanka A, Colombo June 10: Second one-day game v Sri Lanka A, Colombo June 14-17: first-class tour match v Sri Lanka A, Hambantota June 21-24: first-class tour match v Sri Lanka A, Hambantota | |