Sri Lanka´s Malinga first T20 bowler to claim 100 wickets

KANDY, Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka´s Lasith Malinga Friday wreaked havoc after becoming the first bowler in Twenty20 internationals to claim 100 wickets as he struck four times in four balls during the third match against New Zealand.

Malinga returned career-best figures of 5-6 in his four overs to give Sri Lanka a consolation win by 37 runs in Kandy. The Black Caps won the series 2-1.

Malinga, who surpassed Pakistan spinner Shahid Afridi´s tally of 97 scalps to become the leading T20 wicket-taker on Sunday, bowled Colin Munro for 12 to claim a century of wickets in his 76th match.

The 36-year-old speedster went on to complete a hat-trick and took four wickets in four balls. Hamish Rutherford, Colin de Grandhomme and Ross Taylor followed Munro to the pavilion.

Malinga, who once achieved a similar feat in the 2007 50-over World Cup in South Africa, also took the wicket of Tim Seifert, for eight, to register his second five-wicket haul and take his T20 tally to 104.

Malinga´s efforts saw New Zealand being dismissed for 88, while chasing 126, in 16 overs.

The veteran, who retired from Test cricket in 2011 and played his farewell one-day international in July, has competition from Bangladesh´s Shakib Al Hasan who has 88 wickets.

Afridi, a leg-spinner who also captained Pakistan, played 99 T20 matches before his last international outing last year.

Malinga, known for bowling yorkers with his slinging action, made his T20 debut against England in 2006.

He has 101 wickets from 30 Tests and 338 scalps in 226 ODIs.