Lasith Malinga says 'my time is over' after leading Sri Lanka to victory against Bangladesh

Fast bowler, who has finished with 338 wickets in 228 50-over matches, will continue to play Twenty20 cricket

Sri Lankan cricket superstar Lasith Malinga played the last one-day international of his career after his team beat Bangladesh by 91 runs at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Friday night. Ishara S Kodikara / AFP

Malinga, who played the last of his 226 ODIs, also represented Sri Lanka in 30 Tests and 73 Twenty20 internationals. He will continue playing T20 cricket for his country. Ishara S Kodikara / AFP

Malinga was known, among other things, his distinct bowling action which earned him the moniker 'Slinga Malinga'. Ishara S Kodikara / AFP

Even though Malinga slowed down on the field over the years, his bowling continued to have venom. Ishara S Kodikara / AFP

The 35-year-old's length was always hard to read - even for a batsman of Soumya Sarkar's calibre. Ishara S Kodikara / AFP

Malinga's intensity on the field and his hairstyle lended much to one of the game's unique characters. Ishara S Kodikara / AFP

Malinga proved to be an asset to his team even in his final ODI as he took three Bangladesh wickets. Eranga Jayawardena / AP Photo

Whether it was by bowling his famous yorkers or bouncers, the right-arm fast bowler was effective with the ball against left-handed batsmen as much as the right-handers. Ishara S Kodikara / AFP

Since making his international debut in 2004, Malinga has been the life of Sri Lanka's cricket party. Ishara S Kodikara / AFP

It was clearly an emotional night for the man. Ishara S Kodikara / AFP

Here he is receiving a farewell from his teammates at the R Premadasa Stadium. Ishara S Kodikara / AFP

During his career, Malinga led Sri Lanka to the 2007 and 2011 World Cup finals, as well to victory in the 2014 World Twenty20 title. Ishara S Kodikara / AFP

Malinga will surely be missed by the Sri Lankan cricket fans in the one-day arena. Ishara S Kodikara / AFP

He will remain a pop-cultural icon in his country. Ishara S Kodikara / AFP

The family man celebrated his farewell with his wife Taniya and their two children Ekeesha and Duvin. Ishara S Kodikara / AFP

Cricket fans all over the world will miss watching Lasith Malinga in action for Sri Lanka in ODIs. Ishara S Kodikara / AFP

Kusal Perera may have won the Man of the Match award, and deservedly so, but Lasith Malinga proved once again to be a match-winner for Sri Lanka – in the last one-day international of his career.

Perera struck a quick-fire century before Malinga rattled Bangladesh with his fiery opening spell as the home team won by 91 runs in the first of three ODIs in Colombo on Friday. Fast bowler Malinga reduced the visitors to 39-4 in the process, without allowing them to recover from the damage despite the best efforts by Mushfiqur Rahim and Sabbir Rahman.

Mushfiqur made 67 while Sabbir added 60 as the duo shared an 111-run partnership for the fifth wicket but Bangladesh stuttered to 223 all out in 41.4 overs replying to Sri Lanka's 314-8.

Retiring Malinga claimed 3-38 while Nuwan Pradeep (3-51) and Dhananjaya de Silva (2-49) played their parts in the win.

"I feel it's the right time for me to retire from ODIs. I have been playing for the last 15 years for Sri Lanka and this is the right time to move on," Malinga, who finished his ODI career with 338 wickets, said after the game.

"My time is over and I have to go."

Perera struck 111 off 99 balls with 17 fours and a six, his fifth ODI century, to set up Sri Lanka's total after captain Dimuth Karunaratne won the toss and elected to bat first.

Left-handed Perera put on 97 runs with Karunaratne for the second wicket before adding 100 with Kusal Mendis for the third wicket.

Shafiul Islam, who finished with 3-62 in his first match in three years, drew the first blood for Bangladesh when he had opener Avishka Fernando caught by Soumya Sarkar at slip for seven.

Perera was reprieved on 49 runs when the third umpire overturned a caught behind decision off Shafiul.

Part-time seamer Soumya ended the valiant knock of Perera as he was caught at short fine leg by Mustafizur Rahman.

Mendis, who was dropped on 28 by Mahmudullah Riyad off Soumya, fell to Rubel Hossain the next over after making 43 off 49 balls. Mendis walked after a muted appeal for caught behind from wicketkeeper Mushfiqur and bowler Rubel.

Angelo Mathews took Sri Lanka's total past the 300-run mark with 48 off 52 balls. Mustafizur dismissed Mathews before finishing with 2-75.

Malinga, who was unbeaten on six with the bat, hit the leg-stump of opener Tamim Iqbal in his fifth ball with a deadly yorker. Tamim, who debuted as Bangladesh's 14th ODI captain, was unable to open his account and the team's other top-order batsmen did hardly any better.

Pradeep trapped one-down Mohammad Mithun leg-before for 10 and Malinga bowled out opener Soumya for 15 in the next over. Kumara compounded Bangladesh's problem once he removed Mahmudullah for three.

De Silva ended the resistance of Sabbir, forcing him to give a catch at deep midwicket to leave Sri Lanka's victory all but a formality.

Malinga took the final wicket fittingly to end the brief entertainment by Mustafizur, who made 18 off 14 balls before being caught by Thisara Perera at mid-off

The second match will be held at the same ground on Sunday.