Lasith Malinga enjoyed a successful campaign this year to return with 16 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 27.37. (PTI) Lasith Malinga enjoyed a successful campaign this year to return with 16 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 27.37. (PTI) Timing is key when pulling off the perfect bluff, and Lasith Malinga did just that when he redeemed himself in spectacular fashion on Sunday night to defend eight runs in the last over and help Mumbai Indians lift their fourth IPL title. Despite being carted around for 42 runs in his first three overs, Malinga was keen to bowl the last over. The choice for Rohit Sharma was between the exuberant Hardik Pandya or the experienced Malinga. Sharma put his arm around Malinga’s shoulders and the 35-year-old veteran repaid his skipper’s faith with a magnificent slower ball, which won the game in the end. Even his teammates did not think that Malinga would bowl a slower one in such a tight situation. “Always thought he would go back of length or bouncer. But he bluffed everyone and that is probably why experience matters,” said Hardik Pandya after the match. Throughout the last over, Malinga had kept his pace up, bowling the first five deliveries at more than 140 kmph ( 142, 143, 141, 140 and 140 kmph) before sending a last-ball bluff at 112 kmph which caught Shardul Thakur unaware plumb in front. From being a mentor in 2018, Malinga had become the pace spearhead in 2019 for MI. (PTI) From being a mentor in 2018, Malinga had become the pace spearhead in 2019 for MI. (PTI) Coming off the bench Malinga enjoyed a successful campaign this year to return with 16 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 27.37. But signs of him being on the wane had come in 2017 when he played the same number of matches but picked up only 11 wickets at an average of 34.72. In 2018, he went unsold in the IPL auctions. Injuries coupled with a drop in pace and inconsistency reduced his role to that of a bowling mentor for Mumbai Indians. Word spread around that the end was near for one of the most celebrated fast bowlers. But the Lankan warrior wasn’t ready to fade out just yet, and his resurgence began with the Global T20 Canada in 2018, where he showed how he’d changed his limitations into strengths. That was the first time when he started to shift his focus from pace to his slow floaters. In six matches, Malinga returned with 13 wickets at an average of 11.64. His economy rate of 6.41 was among the best in the tournament. A recall to the national side happened in the Asia Cup where he showed good pace and accuracy and subtlety. Mumbai also bought him back for season 12 at the end of last year. A rejuvenated Malinga was back on the IPL stage fitter, stronger and with several improvisations. Mumbai Indians (MI) player Keiron Pollard lifts Lasith Malinga on his shoulders as they celebrate their win over Chennai Super King. (PTI) Mumbai Indians (MI) player Keiron Pollard lifts Lasith Malinga on his shoulders as they celebrate their win over Chennai Super King. (PTI) Subtlety over raw pace To continue playing at the highest level, it is imperative for a fast bowler to manage the workload and use their intellect to improvise. It is here that deceptive variations play a key role. For the Lankan speedster, this came with a shift from the tearaway yorkers to his slower variations, particularly the off-cutter that tends to jump at batsmen. Malinga’s arm speed along with a deceptive action made it extremely difficult for batsmen to decipher his slowers. The rewards were visible in IPL 2019, where Malinga used the slow off-cutter to pick 8 of his 16 wickets. In a high voltage tournament like the IPL, bowlers can survive if they implement effective plans. Malinga’s decision to bowl around the wicket was one of them. In the last match of the league stage, he went around the wicket to Andre Russell and bounced him out for a duck. In the last over of the finals, he once again bowled the first five balls around the wicket and conceded only seven of the eight required runs. Apart from those reverse-swinging yorkers, he also employed the short ball judiciously. Given his action, these deliveries tend to hurry on to the batsmen at an awkward height. A reduction in pace and growing age can also dent a fast bowler’s confidence, but Malinga is a different breed. To prove the Lankan selectors that he was fit enough to go to World Cup, Malinga even went to the extent of playing two matches inside 12 hours- a T20 match in India and a domestic 50 over game in Sri Lanka. Not only did he get selected for the World Cup but also bagged a career-best List A figures of 7/49, representing Galle. Malinga has been one of the finest T20 players that we’ve seen. For Mumbai Indians, he’s done it for so many years and is still a potent package. And this is not good news for the batsmen with the World Cup around the corner.<doc-sep>IPL 2019 Final, MI Vs CSK: Watch Lasith Malinga's Heart-Stopping Last Over Against Chennai Super Kings – VIDEO Lasith Malinga produced an incredible last over to defend nine runs as Mumbai Indians (MI) claimed undisputed supremacy in the Indian Premier League (IPL) by securing their fourth title with a one-run win over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in a pulsating 2019 final at Hyderabad on Sunday. CSK needed nine runs off the last over but the experienced Sri Lankan pacer Malinga kept his nerve to concede eight. He trapped Shardul Thakur leg before in the last ball after Shane Watson (80 off 59) got run out two balls earlier. Watch it here: Before that Jasprit Bumrah kept Mumbai in the hunt with his tidy overs and two wickets, getting rid of Dwayne Bravo and Ambati Rayudu. The premier Indian pacer produced 13 dot balls in his testing overs. Young leg-spinner Rahul Chahar also played a key role in the middle overs as he too created pressure by bowling 13 dot balls. Both teams were tied at three IPL titles each heading into the finale with Mumbai holding the upper hand, having beaten CSK thrice earlier in the competition. The heart-stopping finish came after a disciplined bowling performance from CSK who restricted Mumbai Indians to 149 for eight. CSK, have now lost to Mumbai for the third time in four finals. (With Agency inputs) For in-depth, objective and more importantly balanced journalism, Click here to subscribe to Outlook Magazine<doc-sep>
Rohit Sharma heaped praise on Rohit Sharma after Mumbai Indians won a thriller in the IPL 2019 final against Chennai Super Kings to win a record 4th IPL title in Hyderabad on Sunday. CSK needed 9 off the final over but Malinga bowled a brilliant over to win it for his team by 1 run. Lasith Malinga had conceded 20 runs in his previous over and it took a lot of courage from Rohit Sharma to go back to the bowler when only 9 were needed for CSK to win the title with a well-settled Shane Watson at the crease. However, Malinga responded to his captain's call like he has for years and built up a lot of pressure - Watson was run out and Malinga trapped Shardul Thakur lbw to seal the deal for Mumbai Indians. Rohit Sharma, who became the only man to win 5 IPL titles (once with Deccan Chargers, 4 times with Mumbai Indians), said it was a no-brainer. Malinga is the highest wicket-taker in the history of the Indian Premier League but he has been a little expensive this season. "About Malinga, that's what champions do. I had confidence in him despite a poor third over. He also had confidence he could do it. I thought we could use Hardik for the 20th, but wanted to back someone who has done it for us. Malinga has done it many times in the past, so not a very difficult decision," Rohit told the host broadcaster moments before he lifted the IPL trophy. Meanwhile, MI coach Mahela Jayawardene praised Rohit Sharma for his tactical brilliance on the field. MI almost had the game in the bag when MS Dhoni was run out before Shane Watson brought CSK back with a few lusty blows. But Rohit kept his calm and used his resources brilliantly to help MI win a record IPL title. "Thought we had the game when MS got out, but then Watto started hitting. Some great decisions by Rohit, going back to experienced bowlers at the death. This is why we wanted to defend," Jayawardene told the broadcaster.