Why Lasith Malinga is more patriotic than Shakib Al Hasan

We can leave the discussion on the impact of IPL to cricket for another time but there are a few things the IPL is certainly helping with. For example previously it was impossible to distinguish players based on their sense of patriotism. Or to put it more correctly what is it that really motivates different players to perform. Is it the money, the love for the country, search for personal glory, or a combination all all these things in the right mix.

With the advent of IPL it is now possible to do just that...


In the recently concluded (and largely meaningless) ODI series between Australia and Bangladesh, Shakib Al Hasan bowled his full quota of overs in all games. I haven't checked but I am sure its pretty close. Australia's Shane Watson too played every game in the 3 game series and averaged approximately a century a game.

In the process of these 2 fine cricketers indulging in their respective trades, there were several instances when they met each other head to head.

Never once did Shakib Al Hasan dismiss Shane Watson.

On the other hand 2 of Shakib's 3 own dismissals in the series involved Shane Watson. On one occasion Watson was the bowler and on the other he was fielding.

When playing for his country Shakib Al Hasan essentially offered no fight to Shane Watson.

Fast forward; not by much - a few hours; to the IPL4. Another questionable distraction; that should not have started so soon after the World Cup; before real cricket starts in the Caribbean

This time, in a game between the Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkatta Knight Riders, when Shakib was playing for nothing else but personal pride and money, he gets rid of Shane Watson...

Clean bowled.

Clearly money and personal glory trumps national pride for Shakib Al Hasan. Also I am not sure which side Shakib was playing for - its too darn difficult to keep track and all I know is that according to the scorecard they were playing on opposite teams. And now when I think about the game I am mentioning, it may not involve Bangalore at all, but does it matter? May be it was Rajasthan... who cares...

Consider the slinger in the IPL game (sorry DLF IPL game) between Mumbai Indians of Bombay and Kochi Tuskers Kerala played at the Wankhede Stadium. "Wankedia" as the English commentators were calling it during the World Cup finals and none of the Indian guys thought it necessary to correct them.

Lasith Malinga waited for the game to be safely in the Tuskers favor before he clean bowled his country man Lady Jayawardane. The real reason Mumbai Indian's lost to minnows Kochi, is because Lasith Malinga places country before self.

There was no way he was going to win only for money and personal glory when he could not perform the same ask; just a few weeks ago for his country and presumably a little less money and endorsements in the World Cup finals.

Surely people would have noticed had he won the game for Mumbai Indians at the same venue, in the same situation at approximately the same time of the day, in similar dewy condition as in the World Cup finals; and raised awkward questions

Lasaith Malinga is far more patriotic than Shakib Al Hasan.

Another way to look at this Mumbai Indians loss is to say that Sachin Tendulkar the captain did not allow Sachin Tendulkar the batsman to win. Its all about Sachin any ways and while it is easy for every one else to "win it for Sachin"; who does Sachin win it for? Winning for Neeta (or is it Nita) would mean that he won it for the money and doing it for himself would be.....Surely he isn't that selfish.