<p class="title">Lasith Malinga's once-express pace has dropped as Father Time has caught up with the right-arm quick, but his guile should propel him to a few individual milestones at his fourth and final Cricket World Cup.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Malinga, who turns 36 in August, is on the cusp of breaking into the all-time top-10 one-day international wicket-takers, with his tally of 322 just one behind former teammate Sanath Jayasuriya.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Muttiah Muralitharan heads the list with 534 wickets.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Malinga has also taken three ODI hat-tricks and is the only player to have achieved the milestone twice during a World Cup.</p>.<p class="bodytext">His first World Cup hat-trick was when he dismissed four South African batsmen in four balls in Guyana in 2007 -- the only player to have achieved that feat in the tournament.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He then took another hat-trick against Kenya four years later in Colombo and while he said it would be nice to add a third in England and Wales, he was just keen on taking wickets when Sri Lanka start their campaign against New Zealand in Cardiff on June 1.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I know I've got the skills to take wickets and (that) gives me confidence," Malinga told the International Cricket Council website. "One of the things I like about playing in England is you have to adapt to every condition.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It could be really hot or quite cold and that is a real test of your skill as a bowler.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Why can't I get another hat-trick? I will be trying and that would be special."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Malinga has already said that his fourth Cricket World Cup will be his last, with him targeting an international retirement after the World Twenty20 tournament in Australia next year.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He will however still anchor the pace attack with his ability to bowl fast swinging yorkers and well-directed bouncer and disguise changes in pace.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The 1996 champions have struggled in the 50-over format this year, having lost eight of their nine completed matches, with their only victory against Scotland in Edinburgh.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Malinga, however, felt the side could surprise opposition teams in the round-robin format.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"In previous years perhaps we had bigger names but these guys are very talented and they are looking forward to proving themselves and making people notice them," he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We have the best 15 players in Sri Lanka right now and we have a mix of more experienced players and some exciting young players, who just can't wait to get started." </p>
<p class="title">Lasith Malinga's once-express pace has dropped as Father Time has caught up with the right-arm quick, but his guile should propel him to a few individual milestones at his fourth and final Cricket World Cup.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Malinga, who turns 36 in August, is on the cusp of breaking into the all-time top-10 one-day international wicket-takers, with his tally of 322 just one behind former teammate Sanath Jayasuriya.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Muttiah Muralitharan heads the list with 534 wickets.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Malinga has also taken three ODI hat-tricks and is the only player to have achieved the milestone twice during a World Cup.</p>.<p class="bodytext">His first World Cup hat-trick was when he dismissed four South African batsmen in four balls in Guyana in 2007 -- the only player to have achieved that feat in the tournament.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He then took another hat-trick against Kenya four years later in Colombo and while he said it would be nice to add a third in England and Wales, he was just keen on taking wickets when Sri Lanka start their campaign against New Zealand in Cardiff on June 1.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I know I've got the skills to take wickets and (that) gives me confidence," Malinga told the International Cricket Council website. "One of the things I like about playing in England is you have to adapt to every condition.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It could be really hot or quite cold and that is a real test of your skill as a bowler.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Why can't I get another hat-trick? I will be trying and that would be special."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Malinga has already said that his fourth Cricket World Cup will be his last, with him targeting an international retirement after the World Twenty20 tournament in Australia next year.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He will however still anchor the pace attack with his ability to bowl fast swinging yorkers and well-directed bouncer and disguise changes in pace.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The 1996 champions have struggled in the 50-over format this year, having lost eight of their nine completed matches, with their only victory against Scotland in Edinburgh.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Malinga, however, felt the side could surprise opposition teams in the round-robin format.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"In previous years perhaps we had bigger names but these guys are very talented and they are looking forward to proving themselves and making people notice them," he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We have the best 15 players in Sri Lanka right now and we have a mix of more experienced players and some exciting young players, who just can't wait to get started." </p>