Sri Lankan spinner Wanindu Hasaranga became the 2nd bowler from the country to pick 100 wickets in the T20I format. He achieved this milestone against Afghanistan in 2nd match of the series played at Rangiriri International Stadium, Dambulla on 19th February 2024.
Hasaranga led from the front with a brilliant spell for Sri Lanka. He bowled with great control not allowing Afghanistan batters to score runs easily ending with figures of 2 for 19 in his 4 overs. Sri Lanka set a target of 188 runs to win thanks to vital contributions from Sadeera Samawickrama and Mathews that helped the hosts post a competitive total.
Hasaranga grabbed the wickets of Najibullah Zadran and Karim Janat to derail the Afghanistan batting. It was an impressive performance by Hasranaga that ensured that Sri Lanka won the match easily by 72 runs. Hasaranga proved his with the bat smashing quickfire 22 off 9 deliveries. Sri Lanka sealed the 3-match T20I series and hopes to see Hasranaga come up with another brilliant performance.
Sri Lankan pacer Lasith Malinga holds the record for most wickets in T20I format. He played a total of 84 matches (83 innings) and took a total of 107 wickets at an economy of 7.42 runs per over with best figures of 5 for 6.
Hasaranga became the 2nd fastest to grab 100 wickets in the T20I format. Rashid Khan occupies the top spot taking 53 matches while Hasranaga took a total of 63 matches. Mark Adair took 72 matches; Malinga took 76 matches while Ish Sodhi grabbed 100 wickets from 78 matches.
Hasaranga proved to be a match-winner for Sri Lanka with his variations that made it tough for the batters to hit big shots.
Hasaranga’s performance in T20I format
The star leg spinner Hasaranga has been a consistent performer for Sri Lanka in the T20I format. He made his T20I debut against New Zealand at Palleke International Stadium, Kandy on 1st September 2019.
Since his debut, Hasaranga has taken 101 wickets from 63 matches (61 innings) at an economy of 6.79 runs per over including best figures of 4 for 9. He has a chance to overtake Malinga with brilliant performances in the upcoming matches including the T20I World Cup 2024 to be played in the USA and West Indies.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.