The Story You Didn’t Hear About Lasith Malinga’s 100th Test Wicket: This Small Detail Got Sachin Out!
- Aravinthan Arunthavanathan
- Jun 14
- 3 min read
In a world obsessed with the pursuit of life hacks for instant success, it’s those who are willing to endure the boredom and pain of mastering the basics truly stand out. If you're wondering whether this is accurate, here’s a cricketing anecdote from Lasith Malinga’s career that drives home the point.
Before you think, "Ah, we must have heard this before," let us assure you, this will be a first.
On 2nd April 2011, Sri Lanka came close to winning the Cricket World Cup as Lasith stunned the famous Wankhede and the whole of India for a moment by dismissing Sachin Tendulkar, while India was chasing a challenging target. But the genesis of this success on the biggest stage happened elsewhere, when the spotlights weren’t so bright, a year earlier, in whites.
Sri Lanka was playing India in Colombo. It was the 3rd Test of the series, which would eventually turn out to be Lasith’s last Test. Test cricket is often considered boring, perhaps even outdated by some who’ve grown up on a diet of T20s. If you also think so, this story will may be make you reconsider your view.
During a dull phase of the game , when nothing seemed to be happening, and not many watching, Lasith kept pitching the ball on a good length to Sachin.
Lasith pitched, Sachin blocked.
Lasith pitched, Sachin blocked.
Repeat...
Boring, isn’t it? Maybe not.
As this pattern continued, Lasith began noticing something. The ball, which initially dropped dead near Sachin, began rolling back to him faster with each delivery. He stuck to the basics, the fundamentals, and kept repeating the same.
Reading between the lines, Lasith realized that Sachin was pushing harder at the ball. Hard hands, a sign of impatience. That's why the ball that dropped dead initially started rolling back faster towards him.
Sensing the right moment, Lasith decided to entice Sachin with an outswinger, pitched slightly fuller and closer to the batter. A boundary ball, Sachin thought. He obliged. The ball swung, and Sachin nicked it, caught behind. Sachin was gone. It was Lasith’s 100th Test wicket.
His ability to notice the speed at which the ball rolled back, a detail many would overlook, was key. He had the situational awareness to spot a shift in Sachin’s approach and capitalized on it.
In Mumbai, during the World Cup final, the same sequence repeated. Lasith had this prior learning in mind. When the time was right, he rubbed the ball hard on his trousers and went for the swing. The ball, after pitching, moved just enough to kiss the edge of Sachin’s bat and land in Sangakkara’s gloves.
As the Sri Lankan team celebrated, the Mumbai crowd was left stunned. It seemed the dreams of a billion were dissipating. Lasith’s iconic celebratory run would still be fresh in the minds of those who witnessed it that night. Sri Lanka believed.
Unfortunately, the script flipped later that night. But that moment teaches us a few timeless lessons.
Everyone wants to be successful. But in a world obsessed with hacks and shortcuts, those who truly succeed exhibit two vital traits:
The patience to master the basics and stick to a “boring” routine, just like how Lasith kept hitting the right line and length in the Test match to discover what worked against Sachin.
The ability to pay attention to small details, like the speed at which the ball was rolling back, which helped him identify the exact moment to deliver the knockout delivery.
Success has no shortcuts. Your biggest breakthroughs will come only from sticking to the basics and paying attention to detail. No life hack can match the mastery of fundamentals.
So, the next time you feel bored with the basics or wonder whether the painstaking journey is worth it, when the world tempts you with shortcuts, remember this moment from Lasith’s career. It will remind you to endure the boredom of repetition which leads to mastering the fundamentals and notice trends which others fail to notice.
After all, that’s the only proven formula for success in a world obsessed with the quest for instant success.
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