Sri Lanka's top-5 wicket-takers vs India in ODI World Cups ft. Lasith Malinga
India take on Sri Lanka in their seventh match of the ongoing World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday. India are on a red-hot streak and stand on top of the league table with 12 points to their name.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, are perched upon the 7th position of the same standings, with just four points inside their kitty. While India come into this game on the back of a stupendous come-from-behind victory against England on Sunday, Sri Lanka were decimated by Afghanistan on Monday.
For the Lankans to compete against India in this game, they will have to bowl their hearts out and not let anything hold them back. If Lanka manage to contain the Indian batsmen, they will be able to have a grip on this game.
In this listicle, we bring to you the top five wicket-takers for Sri Lanka against India in World Cups:
#5. Somachandra de Silva
Leg spinner Somachandra de Silva, who competed in the 1979 World Cup for Sri Lanka, picked up three wickets in the one game that he played against India at the event.
De Silva had an impressive economy rate of 2.96 against India in that game with an average of 9.66. He finished that game with the figures of 3-29. De Silva, unfortunately, did not play World Cup cricket anymore and was unlucky to play in just twelve Test matches.
He was well past his age of retirement when Sri Lanka were granted Test status in 1982. Had Lanka been given Test status sooner, de Silva would surely have become a legend of the game.
#4. Lasith Malinga
Lasith 'Slinga' Malinga, who has become synonymous with the IPL franchise Mumbai Indians, features fourth on this list. He played three matches against India in the four World Cups he was a part of (2007 to 2019) and picked up four wickets in them.
India always struggled to come to terms with the slingy action of Malinga's and his uncanny ability to bowl yorkers regularly.
It was said that he used to practice bowling yorkers by keeping a pair of shoes in place of where a batsman's would be in training. Malinga bowled at a fairly decent economy of 6 against India in World Cups.
#3. Sanath Jayasuriya
The versatile Sanath Jayasuriya, who was more well-known for his explosive batting at the top of the order for Sri Lanka, comes third on this list.
His left-arm orthodox worked wonders for his country at times, and this is testified by the 323 wickets he picked up in ODIs.
Jayasuriya featured in five World Cups from 1992 to 2007 and played in a total of six matches against India. Against the Men in Blue, he picked up five wickets at an average of 31 and an economy rate of 4.96.
His more-than-handy spin bowling gave Sri Lanka a lot of variety in the middle overs at a time when all-rounders were rare in world cricket.
#2. Chaminda Vaas
Left arm seamer Chaminda Vaas, who led the Lankan attack for several years and was renowned for his lethal ability to swing the ball both ways at decent pace, comes second on this list.
He played in 5 matches against India and picked up six wickets. Vaas' longevity was the key to his having performed so admirably; he played in four World Cups from 1996 to 2007.
Vaas bowled with a fantastic economy rate of just over five against India in the World Cups, proving to all and sundry that he reserved his best for his nation's northern neighbours.
#1. Muttiah Muralidaran
Who else but the legendary Muttiah Muralidaran can be at the top of this exalted list of players? Having participated in five World Cups from 1996 to 2011, the Sri Lankan great picked up seven wickets against India in the six matches that he played in.
Murali's ability to fox the batsmen with the varieties up his sleeve were what made him so dangerous. It is no wonder that he ended up with 534 wickets in ODIs and 800 in Tests.
Along with the late Shane Warne, Murali was the finest spinner to have ever played, and holds the record for most wickets taken in both the formats of the game.