New Delhi: Wherever he goes there is an umbrella. The pitch on which it lands leaves its mark. His habit of being famous is older than the days of under 19 cricket. Full name name is Mathisha Pathirana. But to the world, he is Baby Malinga. This is because the reflection of Lasith Malinga of Sri Lanka is visible in his bowling style and mood.
Mathisha Pathirana went to play his first match of IPL 2023 against RCB. He got this opportunity due to the injury of his fellow player, which he made good use of. He completely lived up to the trust of his captain Dhoni. Baby Malinga, aged 20, showed all the qualities of senior Malinga in the death overs and won the match for CSK.
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Pathirana: MS Dhoni’s ‘pawn’ in the death overs
Mathisha Pathirana took 2 wickets for 42 runs in 4 overs. But, out of these 42 runs, 27 runs that he looted were of the 2 overs bowled before the death overs. Because after that, the last two overs he bowled in the death overs were amazing.
RCB had to score 35 runs in the last 3 overs of the death overs to win. Means 18 balls and 35 runs. In such a situation, Dhoni caught Pathirana with confidence in the ball, in which he passed 100 marks. Pathirana not only gave 4 runs in the 18th over but also took a wicket.
Similarly, when RCB were left with 19 runs to win in the last 6 balls, Dhoni once again looked towards Mathisha and saved the yellow jersey by not disappointing his captain even in the last over. Pathirana also took 1 wicket in the last over and allowed RCB to score only 11 runs.
From Dhoni to Malinga everyone is giddy
This charismatic performance in the death overs of Mathisha Pathirana must have made MS Dhoni giddy, whom he considers his bowling idol, Lasith Malinga, he too could not contain himself and expressed his feelings by tweeting.
175kmph ball was thrown against India’s under 19 team!
Let us tell you that Mathisha Pathirana made her debut in IPL last year by dismissing Shubman Gill on his very first ball.
Before that, he came into limelight in the Under-19 World Cup when during the India-Sri Lanka match, the speed of his ball was recorded at 175 km per hour on the speedometer. That ball of Pathirana was played by Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Well, the 20-year-old Pathirana, who grabbed headlines for his pace against India’s Under-19 team, has now won the match for MS Dhoni by saving him.
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