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Brett Lee, the former Australian cricketer, made a significant impact on the sport with his exceptional pace and aggressive bowling style. Known for consistently reaching speeds over 150 km/h, Lee was one of the fastest bowlers in cricket history. His ability to combine raw speed with pinpoint accuracy made him a potent threat to batsmen worldwide.
Brett Lee’s unreal impact
Lee’s knack for taking crucial wickets in high-pressure situations played a key role in many of Australia’s victories during his career, particularly in the early 2000s when the Australian cricket team was dominant on the international stage. There is no denial in saying that Lee could be considered as once in a generation kind of a cricketer. His versatility allowed him to excel in all formats of the game, including Test, ODI, and T20 cricket.
Lee names ‘once in a generation player’
In today’s cricket landscape, there are a few players with exceptional skills that allow them to shine in a manner similar to Lee during his prime. Recently, during a conversation on JioCinema, the Australian legend chose Matheesha Pathirana, the Sri Lankan star currently playing for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, as ‘once in a generation player.’
Notably, Pathirana was super impressive with his bowling performance in the high-voltage clash against Mumbai Indians (MI) at Wankhede Stadium on Sunday. The right-arm pacer bagged a sensational 4-wicket haul and played a huge role behind CSK’s impressive 20-run victory in the match.
Lee praised Pathirana as a rare and exceptional talent, comparing him to a 2.0 version of a “slinger” bowler for his unique bowling style and high pace, consistently reaching 150 km/h from a challenging trajectory directly in front of the umpire. The Aussie legend highlighted Pathirana’s successful performance, including taking four wickets, and noted his contribution to the team’s success. He described Pathirana as a promising player with a bright future and emphasized his positive impact on the team’s performance.
“He’s once in a generation player. Probably 2.0 in terms of the slinger, but he’s bowled beautifully once again tonight. It’s the pace he’s bowling at. 150 kmph from right in front of the umpire’s chest, it’s a different trajectory of the wicket, out of the hand. He got four wickets, he’s content with it. He seems like a lovely kid as well. He’s going from strength to strength and that’s a huge reason why the Men in Yellow are doing as well, with guys bowling as well as he is,” said Lee.
Also READ: IPL 2024 – Ruturaj Gaikwad reveals the special name given to Matheesha Pathirana by CSK teammates
Lasith Malinga in high praise for CSK star
Lasith Malinga, the bowling coach for Mumbai, expressed admiration for Pathirana’s performance, even though it was against his own team. He noted that Pathirana has greatly improved his control, line, and length in his bowling. Malinga emphasized that Pathirana’s current form is crucial for Sri Lanka’s chances in the upcoming World Cup, highlighting the young bowler’s potential impact on the team’s success.
“Extremely impressed with @matheesha_81 ’s performance yesterday, despite doing it against us. He has significantly enhanced his control, line, and length. His form leading into the WC will be pivotal for SL,” tweeted Malinga.
Extremely impressed with @matheesha_81’s performance yesterday, despite doing it against us.
He has significantly enhanced his control, line, and length.
His form leading into the WC will be pivotal for SL🇱🇰— Lasith Malinga (@malinga_ninety9) April 15, 2024
