All my hat-tricks are special, I worked hard for them: Lasith Malinga

Mumbai: Sri Lanka's fast bowler Lasith Malinga has lost the count on the number of hat-tricks he has grabbed in international cricket.

The 33-year-old pacer took yet another international hat-trick during the second Sri Lanka-Bangladesh T20 International on Thursday.

"Hmmm…Is it four or five? It is five," said Malinga, who has arrived in Mumbai for the IPL season.

"I have a double hat-trick against South Africa, and one hat-trick each against Australia, Kenya and Bangladesh. So my tally is five, one more than Wasim Akram,” he said.

When reminded him that his 4 wickets in four balls against South Africa in the 2007 World Cup can not be termed as two different hat-tricks though it is a "double" hat-trick considering wickets from the first, second and third balls, and second, third and fourth deliveries, Malinga agreed: "If so (not two separate hat-tricks) then it is four".

"I don't rate my hat-tricks. All hat-tricks are special to me. All hat-tricks are important and dear to me. It is the result of my hard work," he added.

"Yes, I was disappointed when my team could not win the last match against Bangladesh despite my hat-trick. Obviously the entire team and reserve players were disappointed."

Interestingly, Malinga had Tamim Iqbal's wicket off the very second delivery in the first T20 match.

Malinga didn’t play Mumbai Indians’ inaugural IPL match against Rising Pune Supergiant in Pune due to his international commitments but will play the other matches now on wards.