Sri Lankan captain Lasith Malinga became the first player to take two T20I hat-tricks, as he dismissed fourth New Zealand batsmen off four consecutive deliveries.
On September 1, Lasith Malinga went past Shahid Afridi for most wickets in T20Is in the first game of the three-match series against New Zealand. Today, he became the first player to reach the three-figure mark in style. Malinga dismissed Colin Munro for his 100th wicket, which was also his first of the innings.
What followed was a carnage from the Slinger.
Malinga dismissed Hamish Rutherford, Colin de Grandhomme and Ross Taylor off successive deliveries to not only take a hat-trick, but dismiss four Kiwi batsmen off four consecutive balls.
This is the second time Malinga has achieved such a feat - He achieved the rare feat for the first time during the 2007 World Cup, in a game against South Africa.
Rashid Khan had earlier taken four wickets in four successive deliveries in the T20Is.
Malinga also became the third captain to take a five-wicket haul in T20Is, after Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh and Charles Prechard of Jersey. Overall, this is Malinga's second five-wicket haul in T20Is.
Earlier, Sri Lanka scored 125/8 in 20 overs, with opener Danushka Gunathalika top-scoring for the side (30). Mitchell Santner was the best of the bowlers for the Kiwis, taking three wickets for only 12 runs in four overs.
The series is currently tied at 1-1.
