Sri Lankan fast bowler Lasith Malinga’s ODI career ended this week, with 15 years in the intermediate format of the international game and 338 wickets in 226 matches.

• He is ODI cricket’s ninth-highest wicket-taker and Sri Lanka’s second, after the veteran Chaminda Vaas, who took 400 in 322. Malinga’s 37 wickets in 24 ODIs against South Africa effectively came in clutches. He went without a breakthrough six times, but also relished three four-wicket hauls and a five-for.

• One of those four-fors was claimed during the World Cup in the Caribbean a dozen years ago. The record haul was gathered off consecutive deliveries, as Proteas quartet Shaun Pollock, Andrew Hall, Jacques Kallis and Makhaya Ntini fell in succession. ODI hadn’t had a bowler take four wickets across as many consecutive deliveries prior, and hasn’t witnessed such a feat since.

• Malinga took more ODI wickets against South Africa than he did versus New Zealand, Bangladesh or the West Indies. His 37 against the Proteas was more than the 31 against Afghanistan, Scotland, Bermuda, United Arab Emirates, Kenya and Zimbabwe combined.

• His 29.64 average against the South Africans was almost a full run more than his 28.87 career aggregate, while an economy rate of 5.77 shows he was significantly more costly against the Proteas than he was against England or Australia.

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