Colombo, Dec 10 (IANS): Jaffna Kings leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga hoped to get the wicket of one of his favourite batsmen Virat Kohli one day. "I would love to get my favourite cricketer Virat Kohli's wicket someday. I also want to pick Babar Azam and Glenn Maxwell's wickets as well," Hasaranga said when asked to name the players he wishes to dismiss in his career.
Hasaranga was the leading wicket-taker at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021, with 16 scalps in eight games, despite Sri Lanka not reaching past the group stages. On being asked about the reasons behind his success, Hasaranga said that he always tries to do the best for his team.
"When I am bowling, I always try to take wickets. When I am in the national team, I always try to do my best for the team. That's why I am successful," he said.
Confident Hasaranga does not want to feel the pressure of media and fans comparing him with former Sri Lanka legends Muttiah Muralitharan and Rangana Herath.
"I am always motivated to perform. I don't feel any pressure. I don't want to be the next Muralitharan or the next Herath. I want to be the first Hasaranga," he said.
With the rise of the T20 format, it is largely believed that cricket is becoming a batsman's game. But Hasaranga explained how the spinners can prove to be match-winners in the shortest format.
"Leg-spinners can do anything. Because in T20 cricket, batsmen are going to hit big shots. We have a lot of variations. Sometimes, we can get hit for 40-50 runs in a match. But in the next match, we find a way to get back and pick 4-5 wickets. Leg-spinners can win matches," he added.
The 24-year-old bowler went on to credit the Lanka Premier League for the rise of Sri Lanka Cricket in the past few years. "Last time, we saw a lot of youngsters doing a good job in Lanka Premier League. In this kind of tournament, we always get a lot of good players. That is why Sri Lanka Cricket is better than the last few years. These kinds of tournaments are always good for the growth of the sport in a nation," Hasaranga signed off.