SL VS BAN - 1st ODI, Bangladesh tour of Sri Lanka, 2019

When life gives you troubles, remember to smile like Malinga. A smile sans malice and a smile that laces billions of cricket fans all around the globe.

[Zzzzzzzzz] Remember that loopy, cunning fizzy yorker, and that round-arm saucer-throw action, the never-fading curly mop and those four off four against South Africa in 2007 World Cup. If the ball had a voice, I'm sure it would have scripted a genius of poesy regarding the master that 'Slinga Malinga' is. Be it those toe-smashing yorkers, slower ball bumpers and the amalgamtion of cutters of course. They sure need to find a new home, and pretty quickly at that. The ever-smiling legacy of Separamadu Lasith Malinga - shall live on until the zing of yorker gets old. On that joyous note, this is Raju Peethala waving goodbye on behalf of Pradeep Krishnamurthy, Sriram AS and Mukesh Gowda.

Now, Lasith Malinga has been called upon to receive tokens of appreciation from Sri Lanka cricket, the Sri Lankan government and then another memento, this time on behalf of the Sri Lankan president. An emotional moment for the speedster as he receives all the gifts in front of his loving family. He is then given the task of addressing the countrymen, which he does ever so gladly in Sinhalese. It's a long speech and it's been lapped up lovingly by the crowd. At the end of the speech, in a wonderful gesture, Malinga called up Champaka Ramanayaka, the former Sri Lankan bowling coach (who mentored Malinga from a young age), hugged him and then gifted him a "Malinga 99" momento.

Dimuth Karunaratne, Sri Lanka skipper: All the boys are supporting me well in the last few months. Even during the World Cup as well as today, they gave their 100 percent. That's why we are in the right path but we need to improve a lot. In the World Cup, we were quite behind in the batting department. But we executed the plans nicely today and that's what I was expecting from the team. This is the best send-off we could've given to Malinga. We gave 200 percent in the field today. Every time we gave the ball, he took a couple of wickets for us. Lahiru Kumara bowled brilliantly too. Those are the positives. He's (Lasith Malinga) a legend. He's done good work for Sri Lanka for many years. Today, he did a great job. He put his hand up and did the job for me. We really miss Maali Ayya, hopefully he'll play the T20s.

Tamim Iqbal, Bangladesh skipper: I have been struggling a bit and I need to start performing well and lead from the front. We didn't start well with the ball and the boys showed character and fought back. The bowlers did well to restrict them, but batting was disappointing from the start. Like I have told before, the 15 we have in the squad are equally good. We just have to keep on trusting them we have to take more responsibility and that's very important for the team. The good thing is there are still 2 games to go, if I start to score runs and everyone chips in, we can turn it around.

Kusal Perera, Man of the Match: Feeling much better. My back was a bit stiff, I was working with the physio (On asked about his injury and why he didn't take the field in the second innings) and it's getting better. In the WC, I was an opener. Today, I batted at number 3 and It was a different situation. I always backed by strengths. They bowled in the good areas, Once I was set, I carried on. Sometimes, we have to take risks at a particular time. He's (Malinga) a legend. He has taught us good lessons.

As we wait for the presentations, do re-cap Malinga's moments and read this wonderful piece on the champion bowler by Atif Azam

Lasith Malinga: I feel it's the right time for me to retire from ODIs. I have been playing for the last 15 years for Sri Lanka and this is the right time to move on. My time is over and I have to go. Winning is very important for me; We are a young team. I tried my best throughout my career. Some of the young bowlers in the country have good ability, so they need to try and produce match-winning spells. You have to be a match-winner for your team, that's my advice.

A convincing victory in the end for the hosts. Bangladesh were rocked early, thanks to two screamers from Malinga and they didn't really recover from those blows. Mushfiqur Rahim and Sabbir Rahman gave them hope with a century stand for the fifth wicket, but once the pair was separated, it was only one-way journey from there on. Fittingly enough, Malinga finished proceedings with his trademark slower delivery.

The entire Bangladesh team come out to give a guard of honour for the legend. Percy Abeysekera isn't to be left behind either, he's off with the Sri Lankan national flag as Malinga waves goodbye to one and all. An emotional moment this for Sri Lanka - their best white-ball bowler is bidding adieu to the longest format of white-ball cricket. All the mystery, all the uniqueness and all the firepower, everything is coming to an end tonight. He has retired from ODI cricket, but Malinga still has a role to play with Sri Lanka cricket, at least in the 20-over format of the game, at least until next year's 20-20 World Cup.

Malinga to Mustafizur, out Caught by Perera!! Malinga has the final say - he finishes his ODI career with 338 wickets, one more than India's Anil Kumble. He will finish his career as the 9th highest wicket-taker. Huge round of applause all over, the fireworks go up in the background. Malinga lifted his arms aloft in joy as soon as Thisara completed the catch. Coming to the ball, it was a slower ball and Mustafizur mistimed it completely as he went for an ambitious lofted drive, scooped it high and into the hands of mid-off where Thisara held on, even as his country waited with bated breath. Mustafizur c Perera b Malinga 18(14) [4s-3]

Malinga to Mustafizur, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

Malinga to Rubel, 1 run, the slower yorker, Malinga is trying everything here, dipped into the right-hander who backed away and squeezed it behind square on the off-side

Back to over the wicket

Malinga to Rubel, no run, yorker length delivery and angling across the right-hander, squeezed to the off-side with an open face

Malinga to Rubel, FOUR, drilled, the slower ball from Malinga and Rubel picked it, leans forward and clubs it over mid-wicket for a boundary

Right, this might be written in the stars. One last over in ODIs for Lasith Malinga. The mobile torchlight is beaming, the crowd is waiting in anticipation. Claps all around, a slip, leg slip as Malinga comes from round the wicket

Pradeep to Mustafizur, FOUR, more runs for Mustafizur, he's having a ball here, full and well outside off, he backed away and squeezed it wide of the slip cordon, the fielder at third man has no chance

Pradeep to Mustafizur, 2 runs, fuller length delivery outside off, Mustafizur backed away on the drive, sliced it high and behind square on the off-side, landed perfectly in between the two men in the deep

Pradeep to Mustafizur, no run, good bouncer from Pradeep, Mustafizur watches it all along and sways away from the line

Pradeep to Mustafizur, no run, wide full-toss from Pradeep as Mustafizur backed away, left alone