Cricket is a game of numbers, but some numbers are more than mere stats—they define legends. Four wickets in four balls. Sounds impossible? Not if your name is Lasith Malinga. The Sri Lankan slinger did it not once, but twice, carving his name into cricket’s hall of fame.
It all began in 2007 against South Africa in the ICC Cricket World Cup. Sri Lanka was staring at defeat, with South Africa needing just four runs to win and five wickets in hand. Then, Malinga happened. Shaun Pollock, Andrew Hall, Jacques Kallis, Makhaya Ntini—gone in four balls! A lost match suddenly turned into a thriller. Though Sri Lanka eventually lost, Malinga’s spell became folklore, a moment that had the world on its feet.
Fast forward to 2019, and history knocked again—this time in a T20I against New Zealand. Defending a modest 125, Malinga stepped up. Colin Munro—bowled! Hamish Rutherford—LBW! Colin de Grandhomme—bowled! Ross Taylor—plumb in front! Four in four, again. This time, Sri Lanka won. Malinga had done what no other bowler in international cricket had—taking four consecutive wickets in both ODIs and T20Is.
But Malinga was never just about records. He was a spectacle, a slinger of dreams and nightmares, a bowler who redefined fast bowling with his toe-crushing yorkers and unorthodox action. His ability to strike at will, to turn games on their head, made him a force of nature.
The 2007 heartbreak found its perfect closure in 2019. He didn’t just match his own feat—he owned it, proving that while cricket may offer second chances, legends don’t wait for them. They create their own.
Four wickets. Four balls. Twice. The world may never see another like Malinga again.
