Colombo, Dec 10 (Agency) Sri Lanka leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga on Friday said that he hopes to get the wicket of his “favourite cricketer” and India Test captain Virat Kohli one day. The 24-year-old Sri Lankan, who is playing for Jaffna Kings in the Lanka Premier League (LPL), added that he also wants to take the wickets of Pakistan’s Babar Azam and Australia’s Glenn Maxwell. “I would love to get my favourite cricketer Virat Kohli’s wicket someday. I also want to pick Babar Azam and Glenn Maxwell’s wickets as well,” Hasaranga said in a release. Hasaranga finished as the leading wicket-taker at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021, with 16 scalps in eight games. However, Sri Lanka were eliminated in the group stage. When asked about his individual performance at the concluded premier event, Hasaranga said that he always try to do the best for his team. “When I am bowling, I always try to take wickets. When I am in the national team, I always try to do my best for the team. That’s why I am successful,” he said.
Hasaranga further said that he doesn’t want to be the next Muttiah Muralitharan and Rangana Herath. “I am always motivated to perform. I don’t feel any pressure. I don’t want to be the next Muralitharan or the next Herath. I want to be the first Hasaranga,” he said. The T20 format is mostly considered as the batter’s game. However, Hasaranga highlighted how the spinners can prove to be match winners in the shortest format. “Leg spinners can do anything. Because in T20 cricket, batsmen are going to hit big shots. We have a lot of variations. Sometimes, we can get hit for 40-50 runs in a match. But in the next match, we find a way to get back and pick 4-5 wickets. Leg-spinners can win matches,” he signed off.