‘The hairstyles change, the tattoos…’: Mahela Jayawardene compares 'mature' Sri Lanka star to Lasith Malinga

With the T20 World Cup set to begin, Sri Lanka will face Namibia in the tournament opener on Sunday, at the Geelong Cricket Ground in Victoria. Led by Dasun Shanaka, Sri Lanka will be aiming to replicate their Asia Cup 2022 victory, where they defeated Pakistan in the final. Speaking to The ICC Review, former player Mahela Jayawardene hailed the all-rounder and also compared him to legendary bowler Lasith Malinga.

Hasaranga was also the second-highest wicket-taker in the Asia Cup with nine wickets. In the final, he registered 36 runs and took three wickets vs Pakistan. He was also named Player of the Tournament.

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"In the last 12 months, he has shown how mature he is – not just as a bowler but with the bat as well. In tough situations, he has really come and delivered. But as a leader in that group, even if he doesn’t have the title as the vice-captain or the captain or anything like that, but underneath all of that he has become a leader who all the young guys look up to", he said.

Jayawardene feels that there are a lot of similarities between Hasaranga and Malinga, and compared their maturity.

"The way he has blossomed … he’s also from down south, quite close to where Lasith was (Galle) and they have similar mannerisms", he said.

"The way they both came out, they started their careers quietly – you know, sat in the corner of the dressing room – and little by little they grew. The hairstyles change, the tattoos came out and the whole thing."

"It (Hasaranga’s development) is quite similar to how Lasith became who Lasith was, and that’s how I see the way Wanindu has blossomed as a player."

The most important similarity which they both share, Jayawardene feels it their competitiveness. "The most important thing is, once they cross the field, like Lasith, he is a competitor – that’s what I love about him", he said.