Lasith Malinga

Lasith Malinga was a Sri Lankan fast bowler known for his distinctive slinging action and lethal yorkers, and led Sri Lanka to the 2014 T20 World Cup title.

Separamadu Lasith Malinga was born on 28 August 1983 in Galle, Sri Lanka, and grew up in the coastal village of Rathgama, where his raw pace and unconventional bowling action caught the attention of former Sri Lankan fast bowler Champaka Ramanayake. Malinga made his international debut against Australia in 2004, and developed into one of the most feared and distinctive limited-overs bowlers in cricket history, renowned for a low, round-arm "slinging" action that earned him the nickname "Slinga Malinga." Malinga became the first bowler in international cricket history to take four wickets in four consecutive balls, a feat he achieved during the 2007 Cricket World Cup, and remains the only bowler to take three hat-tricks in ODI cricket and two in World Cup matches. Malinga captained Sri Lanka to victory at the 2014 ICC World Twenty20, and retired as the leading wicket-taker in T20 international history, having also mentored a generation of "slinger" bowlers including India's Jasprit Bumrah during their years together at the Mumbai Indians franchise.

Malinga bowled with a unique sling-arm action that made him virtually unplayable at times, especially in limited-overs cricket. He was renowned as one of the best death bowlers in the world, specializing in yorkers and slower ball variations that bamboozled batsmen in the final overs. His unusual action and ability to bowl consistently at the base of the stumps made him a nightmare for batsmen trying to score boundaries.

Malinga revolutionized fast bowling with his unconventional action and set new standards for death bowling in limited-overs cricket. His success inspired a generation of bowlers to develop variations and proved that unorthodox techniques could be highly effective at the highest level.

• T20 World Cup winner 2014