When you talk about legends in cricket, there’s one name that immediately strikes fear (and love from Paltan) – Lasith Malinga. The slinger, the toe-crusher king, the man who turned yorkers into an art form – today we celebrate the birthday of a true Mumbai Indians icon. 🥳

Malinga isn’t just another bowler in MI history – he’s the game-changer who defined an era. With 170 wickets, he sits proudly as the second-highest wicket-taker for the Mumbai Indians in IPL, his name etched forever in our folklore.

His toe-crushing yorkers rattled batting units across seasons, leaving stumps gasping for breath and fans shouting on top of their lungs – Maan la re tula! 🫡

From 2009 to 2019, Malinga wasn’t just part of the squad; he was the heartbeat. Those four magical campaigns during his time as player – 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019 – saw Malinga’s brilliance power MI to four IPL titles, making him one of the most decorated stars in our #OneFamily. ✨

And who can ever forget 2019? When the final hung by a thread, it was Malinga who stepped up, delivered that iconic last over and sealed the trophy for MI. Talk about the most poetic farewells ever in the competition's history… 🥹

'MI'NE 🏆💙#OneFamily #CricketMeriJaan #MumbaiIndians #IPL2019Final #MIvCSK @hardikpandya7 pic.twitter.com/QJtarUtSiG

— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) May 12, 2019

Of course, Hitman applauded the nerves of steel that our PACER showed…

.@ImRo45: I had the belief in Malinga. We trust him. I trust him. He did the job for us. That's what a Champion does.
#OneFamily #CricketMeriJaan #MumbaiIndians #IPL2019Final #MIvCSK

— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) May 12, 2019

But the story didn’t stop there. 😉 From yorking batters to now shaping future stars, Malinga’s role as MI’s bowling coach has been just as invaluable. His wealth of experience, calm presence & relentless drive to push bowlers – young guns and veterans alike – continues to produce match-winning results! He’s THE MENTOR every team dreams of, but only MI has.

For पलटन, Malinga is not only a legend, but also a 𝗙𝗔𝕄𝕀𝗟𝗬. 💙 His spirit, his fire, his aura, his smile & his hairstyle simply make Mumbai Indians special. Here’s raising a modak (Ganpati vibes are ON!) to the Slinga on his big day – once a genius, always a GENIUS.