Lasith Malinga is the IPL’s ultimate yorker king. Across nine seasons—all in Mumbai Indians colours from 2009 to 2019—he scalped 170 wickets in 122 innings, never letting batters breathe at a stunning strike-rate of 16.63 balls per wicket. The sling-armed Sri Lankan terrorised line-ups with 18 three-wicket bursts and a memorable five-for, conceding only 7.15 runs an over despite bowling 2,827 balls of unforgiving yorkers and slower ones at the death. Malinga’s mastery peaked when he nipped out four overs for just 5.1 runs each, a record economy for any 170-wicket bowler in the league’s history. With the bat he was a handy lower-order pinch-hitter, smashing five sixes and six fours in 20 innings for 88 quick runs at a strike-rate of 88. Yet it is with the ball that Malinga became Mumbai’s heartbeat, lifting four IPL titles and finishing as the franchise’s all-time leading wicket-taker—an unbreakable legacy built on 170 scalps, 18 three-fors and one spell for the ages.

Chaminda Vaas IPL profile: Sri Lanka’s swing master made every over count during his three-season spell with Sunrisers Hyderabad from 2008 to 2010. Across 13 bowling innings the left-armer snapped 18 wickets at a brisk strike-rate of 15.67 balls per scalp, conceding only 7.55 runs an over. His standout spell came when he rocked the top order with 3 for 21, the only three-wicket haul of his IPL career. Vaas bowled 47 tight overs, gave away 355 runs and never let batters settle, proving why experience trumps age in T20 cricket. When called upon with the bat, Vaas delivered handy cameos. In 11 knocks he tallied 81 runs from 73 balls, striking at 110 and clearing the ropes three times while finding the fence twice. His highest score of 20 not out showcased the calm of a 300-ODI veteran. Though centuries and fifties eluded him, the pinch-hitting left-hander ensured late-order momentum that twice turned close games SRH’s way. From 2008 to 2010, Chaminda Vaas remained the quiet general of Sunrisers Hyderabad, combining frugal new-ball bursts and fearless lower-order swings to give the franchise its early identity.

Note: This overview is partially generated using AI and is based on statistical data. Please verify with official sources for complete accuracy.