SL V NZ: Malinga magic almost gets lankans home, a feeling of Déjà vu

Opposition cruising in  a run chase with wickets in hand, enough overs to spare and not many runs to get. And then comes the slinga Malinga who manages to create panic in the opposition camp but unfortunately fails to get his team home. New Zealand won this group stage match in a nail biter against Sri Lanka by 1 wicket in Cardiff, Wales  and left us with a feeling of Déjà vu.

It was the Super eight match  between South Africa and Sri Lanka in the ICC World cup 2007 played at Guyana, West Indies. Remember? If you were in India or Sri Lanka, you would probably caught up on this  late at night or watched the highlights early next morning.

South Africa were chasing a modest score of 209 and were comfortably placed at 206 for 5 with Pollock  and Kallis looking good. 4 more runs required of 32 balls with 5 wickets in hand. Most certainly, SA clear favorite at this point. Malinga bowling his 8th over had not taken a wicket till then but bowled a beautiful slower loopy yorker to deceive Pollock and to hit the wicket. Pollock bowled. But South Africa are still in a comfortable position with Kallis well set in the 80 s and 4 more wickets in hand. The next ball, Malinga bowls a speared in Yorker and Andrew Hall manages to lob it up in the air to give  an easy catch at covers. End of the over and the next. Malinga come back 3 runs required of 24 balls and kallis to face the Hatrick ball. Full, outside off stump, Kallis goes for a square-drive and nicks it behind to Sangakara and malinga gets the Hatrick more importantly the big wicket of Kallis. Tension rise up in the South African dressing room and worst was to follow. Ntini bowled of a perfect in swinging yorker hitting the stumps, too good for a No 10 batsmen.  Malinga , had turned the match on its head with 4 wickets in 4 balls leaving 3 runs of 22 balls with 1 wicket in hand. It was unbelievable turnaround. Unfortunately they could not get the last wicket and hence lost the match quite similar to that of this match against New Zealand.

Till this curly golden haired slingy fast bowler from the Island of Sri Lanka is around, teams better watch out. When you think it's done, this man with bag full of tricks manages to come up with a stellar performance out of the blue to surprise one and all.
We only wish he was able to take his team over the line in both the occasions.

Nonetheless, a great performer and entertainer  of the modern day cricket, SLINGA MALINGA!