The veteran Sri Lanka speedstar, Lasith Malinga retires from all forms of cricket on Tuesday. Lasith Malinga made his One Day International debut on 17th July, 2004 and T20I debut on 15th June, 2006. Malinga has played 226 ODI matches and 83 T20I matches in his career. However, Lasith Malinga has bowled 10936 balls and taken 338 wickets. He had an average of 28.87 and an economy rate of 5.35. While in T20I, he scalps 107 wickets in 1799 balls that he bowled. In T20Is, Malinga had an average of 20.79 and an economy rate of 7.42. Though, Malinga is not known for his red ball skills. But, he took 101 wickets with an average of 33.16 in the 59 innings he played.

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Malinga is the only bowler in the world with two World Cup hat-tricks, three ODI hat-tricks and four wickets in four consecutive balls in any form of International cricket. He retired from all forms of cricket on 14th September, 2021. Malinga was named as the official event ambassador for the World Twenty20 Championships by ICC. Malinga is not only the highest wicket-taker for Sri Lanka in T20 Internationals but also the highest wicket-taker in IPL till now. And SportzPoint.com has comes with all the records of the veteran pacer from Sri Lanka.

However, let's look into the golden records created by the Sri Lanka Legend Lasith Malinga in the world of cricket.

Test career :

• Malinga took 6 wickets in his debut Test on 1 July 2004 against Australia. In the 2006-07 tour of New Zealand, he derailed the opposition's top order, helping Sri Lanka draw the series.
• However, Malinga announced his retirement from Test cricket on 22 April, 2011 in order to prolong his career in ODI and T20 cricket.
• He played 30 Tests and took 101 wickets at an average of 33.16, with the best bowling figure of 9 for 210.

Read Also : Cricket News: Lasith Malinga retires from all forms of cricket

ODI career :

Lasith Malinga made his ODI debut in Sri Lanka's opening match of the 2004 Asia Cup against the United Arab Emirates. Malinga has played 226 ODI matches in his career. In which he scalps 338 wickets with an average of 28.87 and the best bowling figure of 6/38.

• During the 2007 Cricket World Cup Super 8 match between Sri Lanka and South Africa, Malinga became the first player to take four wickets in four consecutive balls in ODIs. This was only the fifth hat-trick in World Cup history, the third ODI hat-trick for Sri Lanka and the 24th overall in ODIs.
• He became the first bowler to take two World Cup hat-tricks after he scalped three wickets in as many balls against Kenya during the 2011 Cricket World Cup.
• In August 2011, he took a hat-trick against Australia to become the first bowler to take three hat-tricks in ODI cricket.
• Malinga was included to the ODI squad for 2017 ICC Champions Trophy in June 2017, in which he took his 300th ODI wicket by dismissing Virat Kohli.
• On 13th October 2018 against England in the second ODI of the series, Malinga took his 8th five-wicket haul. Moreover, he also completed the 500 international wickets mark. In April 2019, he was named in Sri Lanka's squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup. And this was his last appearance in the World Cup stage.

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T20I career :

Lasith Malinga made his T20I debut against England in 15th June, 2006. He has played 83 T20I matches in his career. In which he scalps 107 wickets with an average of 20.79 and the best bowling figure of 5/6.

• Malinga was named captain of the Sri Lankan cricket team in 2014 ICC World Twenty20; the team won the trophy. He is the highest wicket-taker for Sri Lanka in T20Is with 96 wickets.
• In April 2017, he took a hat-trick in T20 match against Bangladesh, becoming the second Sri Lankan and fifth overall to take a T20I hat-trick.
• He has taken 4 international hat-tricks, which is most by a Sri Lankan player and joint highest along with Pakistan's Wasim Akram.
• Malinga has played 83 T20Is for Sri Lanka and taken 107 wickets

IPL career :

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Malinga has played for Mumbai Indians in Indian Premier League (IPL) from 2009 to 2019. In the first match for Mumbai Indians in the fourth season, he got 5 wickets against Delhi Daredevils. Malinga is the all time highest wicket taker of IPL till now. His best bowling figure in club-level T20s is 6 for 7 for Melbourne Stars against Perth Scorchers in December 2012, the only six-wicket haul taken the Australian Big Bash League.

• Playing for Mumbai Indians, he won the Purple Cap award (most wickets) in the fourth season of Indian Premier League with 28 scalps in 16 matches.
• Mumbai Indians did not buy him during 2018 IPL Auctions, but named him bowling mentor for the side.
• He has so far played 127 games for Mumbai Indians in IPL and Champions League T20 and is the highest wicket-taker for the franchise with 179 scalps at an economy rate of 6.88. In 2019, he was again bought by Mumbai Indians.
• In IPL, Malinga has so far played 122 matches, in which he has taken 170 wickets at an average of 19.80 and the best bowling figure of 5/13.

N.B : The stats are accurate as of 15/09/2021.

Pakistan great Wasim Akram bagged his 50th ODI World Cup wicket in his 33rd innings

Muttiah Muralitharam took 30 innings to pick 50 wickets in the showpiece event

Australia's Glenn McGrath snared his 50th scalp in his 30th innings

Trent Boult reached 50 ODI World Cup wickets after 28 innings.

It took Sri Lanka's Lasith Malinga 25 innings to record the feat

Mitchell Starc took 19 innings to reach the milestone.

Mohammed Shami took 17 innings to claim 50 wickets in the marquee tournament.

Australian pacer Mitchell Starc has gone past Lasith Malinga to become the third-highest wicket -taker in World Cup history.

Starc reached the milestone with his first wickets in Australia's clash against England in the ongoing 2023 World Cup.

Sri Lanka's Lasith Malinga finished his World Cup career with 56 wickets in 29 games.

Mitchell Starc went past his wickets tally in just 24 World Cup matches. He has now taken eight wickets in the ongoing World Cup edition.

Mitchell Starc is now only behind Muttiah Muralitharan (68) and his compatriot Glenn McGrath (71) in terms of World Cup wickets.

Mitchell Starc finished the 2019 World Cup as the highest wicket-taker.

(27 wickets in 10 matches)

The 40-year-old Malinga will join the Mumbai Indians coaching team led by Mark Boucher and his former teammate Kieron Pollard ahead of the upcoming season. Malinga has also served as the bowling coach for MI New York in Major League Cricket and MI Cape Town in SA20.

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"I am looking forward to working closely with Mark, Polly, Rohit and the rest of the team, especially the bowling unit, whose approach I loved last season, and the young MI talent that has the potential to excel, backed by the passionate MI Paltan," Malinga said.

Malinga has been one of the key members for both Sri Lanka in international cricket and MI at the IPL. The former star pacer has spent close to 13 years with MI since 2008, 11 years as a player and a year (IPL 2018) as MI bowling mentor. Malinga has won seven trophies, including four IPL, two CLT20, and an MLC. Lasith Malinga took retirement in 2021 and worked with the Rajasthan Royals until this year.

The 2023 ICC Men's ODI Cricket World Cup will be the 13th edition of the Cricket World Cup. The tournament will be hosted by India, beginning on 5 October and concluding on 19 November 2023. Ten national teams will participate; Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, and Sri Lanka. England are the defending champions, having won the 2019 edition by defeating New Zealand in the final.

India will host the Men's Cricket World Cup solely for the first time. The tournament will take place in ten different stadiums. The first and second semi-finals will be held at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai and Eden Gardens in Kolkata respectively. At the same time, the final will take place at Narendra Modi Stadium, in Ahmedabad. Bowlers play responsibly and often take huge and important wickets. Only a few bowlers have consistently performed at the highest level and picked up the most number of wickets. There have been numerous bowlers like Muthiah Muralidaran, Lasith Malinga, and Zaheer Khan who ruled the batsmen in their time. Some have accumulated over 50 wickets and recorded impressive five and six-wicket hauls. As fans brace themselves for the 2023 World Cup in India, here at SportzPoint we look at the players who hold the record for scalping the most wickets in the tournament's history.

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Most Wickets in ICC Men's ODI World Cup (Top 7)

Glenn McGrath

Australia's fearsome fast-bowler Glenn McGrath is the leading wicket-taker in the ICC World Cup. He was the key in Australia's consecutive World Cup wins in 1999, 2003, and 2007. McGrath had accuracy and consistency while bowling. His speed and economy were also fabulous, and his incredible record of 71 World Cup wickets in 39 innings is most likely to be never surpassed.

Muthiah Muralidaran

Sri Lanka's Muthiah Muralidaran has 68 wickets to his name in the World Cup in just 30 innings. A master of spin, Muralidaran is one of the greatest bowlers in the history of cricket and was part of the 1996 team that won the World Cup. He was known for his distinctive spin action and slick bowling.

Lasith Malinga

Sri Lanka's Lasith Malinga took 56 wickets in just 28 innings in the World Cup, with the best figure of 6/38. Malinga was known for his unorthodox sling action and in-swinging yorkers. He also holds the record for most hat-tricks in the World Cup. He will always be one of Sri Lanka's best bowlers of all time.

Wasim Akram

Wasim Akram featured in five World Cups from 1987 to 2003. Akram became the first bowler to reach the 500-wicket mark in ODI cricket, during the 2003 World Cup. Akram famously took two key wickets in two balls in the 1992 World Cup final which turned the match in Pakistan's favour and delivered the trophy to them for the first time. He has picked up 55 wickets in just 38 WC matches.

Mitchell Starc

Mitchell Starc has shown his level at the World Cup over the period. In just 18 matches across 2015 and 2019, he has picked up 49 wickets. He was instrumental in Australia lifting the Trophy at home in 2015. Starc was even the Player of the Series in that edition for his 22 wickets at 10.18 and a strike rate of 17.4. He continued the trend at the 2019 World Cup and finished as the leading wicket-taker for the second time in succession.

Chaminda Vaas

Chaminda Vaas was the country's most prolific fast bowler. Vaas had his most successful tournament in 2003, helping his side reach the semi-finals, and taking 23 wickets at 14.39. In total, he has picked up 49 wickets in 31 matches at an eco of just 3.97 in the WC. He will always be one of Sri Lanka's best bowlers of all time.

Zaheer Khan

Zaheer Khan helped India make it to the finals of the 2003 World Cup. He finished the tournament as the fourth-highest wicket-taker, with 18 wickets from 11 matches. Khan was key to India reaching two World Cup finals, in 2003 and 2011, eventually winning the title in the latter one. Along with Oram, Khan has played at the least number of World Cup editions, and featured in only 23 matches, making his haul of 44 wickets at an economy of just 4.47.

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Most Wickets in ICC Men's ODI World Cup (Top 15)

The 2023 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup will be the 13th edition of the Cricket World Cup. The tournament will be hosted by India, beginning on 5 October and concluding on 19 November 2023. Ten national teams will participate; Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, and Sri Lanka. England are the defending champions, having won the 2019 edition by defeating New Zealand in the final.

It will be the first men's Cricket World Cup to be hosted solely by India. The tournament will take place in ten different stadiums. The first and second semi-finals will be held at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai and Eden Gardens in Kolkata respectively, while the final will take place at Narendra Modi Stadium, in Ahmedabad. As fans brace themselves for the 2023 World Cup in India, here at SportzPoint we look back at 10 of the most iconic moments from the tournament's history.

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Top 10 Greatest Moments in the ICC World Cup history

1. MS Dhoni's World Cup-winning six, World Cup 2011

Indian captain MS Dhoni in a tense 2011 World Cup final run-chase, sealed the deal with an iconic six in the second last over of the match against Sri Lanka. His shot over long-on will always be the best moment of the World Cup as Team India ended their World Cup drought by lifting the title for the first time in 28 years.

2. Ben Stokes' accidental deflection, World Cup 2019

In the 2019 World Cup final at Lord's, England found themselves in a tight spot chasing New Zealand's 241. Ben Stokes, the hero of the match dived to complete a second run in a tense final over. A throw from the deep struck his bat and raced to the boundary. These accidental, vital runs tied the game and set the stage for a historic Super Over. England won the Super Over and the World Cup.

3. MS Dhoni's heartbreaking semi-final runout, World Cup 2019

In the semi-final clash between India and New Zealand at the 2019 World Cup, the 'Men in Blue' legend MS Dhoni found himself just inches short of his crease against Martin Guptill's brilliant throw from backward square leg. Guptill's direct hit hit the stumps and the dreams of more than a billion Indian fans along with it. The heartbreaking moment also turned out to be Dhoni's last one on the international stage as he announced his retirement a year later.

 4. Kapil Dev's Heroics, World Cup 1983

In the final of the 1983 Cricket World Cup, India faced the mighty West Indies. India were struggling at 183 for 6. Kapil Dev played an innings for the ages. His iconic 175-not-out turned the match on its head and led India to a historic victory, marking their first-ever World Cup win.

5. Adam Gilchrist's 149 and Australia's historic hat-trick, World Cup 2007

Australia's historic 2007 World Cup final win was built by Adam Gilchrist's inning of 149 in Bridgetown. The opener hit 13 boundaries and eight sixes and punished every single bowler from Sri Lanka's high-flying attack.

This inning also guided Australia to their third successive title, making them the first and only side so far to complete a hat-trick of World Cups.

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Top 10 Greatest Moments in the ICC World Cup history

6. Glenn McGrath's magical spell, WC 2007

Glenn McGrath's performance in the 2007 World Cup was just something else. He scalped 26 wickets in the tournament, leading Australia to their third consecutive title. His incredible consistency and dominance with the ball earned him the Player of the Tournament award.

7. Sachin Tendulkar's 'Desert Storm', WC 1998

During the 1998 tournament, Sachin Tendulkar's famous "Desert Storm" inning against Australia remains attached in memory. In a high-pressure match, Tendulkar's breathtaking 143 guided India to victory and showcased his unbelievable skillset in the game.

8. Herschelle Gibbs Hits 6 Sixes in 2007, WC 2007

The right-hander became the first player to hit six sixes in an over of International Cricket during the group game in Basseterre. Daan van Bunge was the bowler on the receiving end of the record. The leg-spinner had no answer as Gibbs continuously launched him over the rope.

Despite the match being cut to 40 overs each, South Africa still made 353-4. Gibbs scored 72 from 40 balls and managed only one other maximum in his inning before being dismissed by Luuk van Troost.

9. Wasim Akram Destroys England, WC 1992

Wasim Akram smashed a quick 33 in his side's inning of 249-6 in the final against England at the MCG. England had slipped to 69-4 in their reply, but Allan Lamb and Neil Fairbrother repaired the early damage with a fifth-wicket stand worth 72. However, Akram dismissed Lamb and new batsman Chris Lewis in successive deliveries, both bowled on the angle. Pakistan went on to win the match by 22 runs, allowing skipper Imran Khan to lift the trophy.

10. South Africa vs. Australia Tie, WC 1998

In a semi-final clash, South Africa needed one run off the final ball to reach the final. A mix-up led to a dramatic run-out, resulting in a tie. The 'Super Six' rule came into play, and Australia advanced to the final, leaving South Africa heartbroken.

This concludes the list of our Top 10 Greatest Moments in the ICC World Cup history. For more amazing stats and news, follow SportzPoint.