One of the great limited-overs bowlers in his pomp, Lasith Malinga gained a reputation for delivering searing inswinging yorkers from a round-arm action as destructive as it was distinctive. That yorker, a deceptive slower ball, and an excellent bouncer formed the body of Malinga's menace, while the action made his deliveries hard to pick up. All that ability was also set off by street smarts; Malinga was rarely shy to switch up plans, and reshuffle fields. Even when batsmen thought they knew what was about to come, Malinga retained the capacity to surprise.
Found in his teens playing soft-ball cricket on the beaches of Rathgama, just north of Galle, Malinga became one of the poster boys for the informal Sri Lankan coaching system and its philosophy of equipping unconventional bowlers, rather than remaking them. Malinga has repeatedly credited Champaka Ramanayake for his success. It was Ramanayake who initially took interest in him, and with whom he developed the yorker that became the foundation of his career. The coach would glue a pair of shoes near the popping
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Thulani Malinga
No.
Result
Record
Opponent
Type
Round, time
Date
Location
Notes
57
Loss
44–13
Ole Klemetsen
TKO
8 (12), 2:40
14 Jan 2000
Koldinghallerne, Kolding, Denmark
For vacant IBA light-heavyweight title
56
Loss
44–12
Mads Larsen
TKO
10 (12)
19 Mar 1999
Falkoner Center, Copenhagen, Denmark
Lost WBF (Federation) super-middleweight title; For IBO super-middleweight title
55
Win
44–11
Peter H Madsen
RTD
8 (12), 3:00
27 Nov 1998
Vejlby-Risskov Hallen, Aarhus, Denmark
Retained WBF (Federation) super-middleweight title