JOIN USWhat Kumar Sangakkkara and Mahela Jayawardene couldn’t achieve in 2009 and 2012 respectively, Lasith Malinga accomplished as a stand-in skipper on Sunday.
Having been installed as the captain of Sri Lanka after regular T20 skipper Dinesh Chandimal was handed suspension due to slow over-rate, Malinga was persisted with for the semifinal and final and the pacer proved to be their lucky charm. Malinga, however, played down the luck part in Sri Lanka’s World T20 triumph.
“Anyone can say anything,” he began, unable to hide his joy. “Some say winning is luck, some say winning is talent. I really trust that we didn't have luck. We worked hard, we know our ability and we know what we can do. Everyone is talented, that's why we won the match. I don't believe in luck,” he said.
Malinga led the Lankan side that had four former T20 captains in its playing 11 and the slinger felt he only benefitted from their presence in the team.
“Any captain should have the ability to get the best out of all the players -- from the most experienced to the junior most. Then only one can build a team. Every captain learns from their past captains. That’s how new captains become great leaders in the time to come. Great captains like Mahela and Kumar graduated under skippers like Arjuna (Ranatunga), Sanath (Jayasuriya) and Marvan Atapatu. I too had the same facilities and that helped us a great deal.
“We've had 4-5 captains in our team who had loads of experience behind them. I took over from Chandimal and I thought that I should get the help of all of them. That's why we could win a World Cup after 1996. At the same time, there was a belief that a fast bowler cannot lead the team. So I think I did the justice for pacers as well. If you can take wickets, he has the ability to do any kind of a thing on a cricket field,” he elaborated.
Malinga was happy that the team could gift a fitting send-off to Sangakkara and Jaywardene, who were playing their last T20 International.
“When Muttiah Muralitharan retired, we could help him to get that 800th (Test) wicket (in Kandy against India). Sanga and Mahela are two other greats like Murali. They've done a wonderful service to Sri Lanka cricket. So, we could win the cup for them in their final match and I think it's a fitting gift for them,” said the stand-in-skipper.