The 24-year-old Sri Lankan right-arm fast bowler Eshan Malinga made his IPL debut on Saturday evening (April 12), when his team SunRisers Hyderabad were hosting in-form Punjab Kings. Eshan impressed on his first outing in the IPL, while his team was struggling heavily. 

While SRH bowlers were thrashed in the powerplay, Eshan Malinga controlled the game impressively on his IPL debut. He started to bowl in the first over after the powerplay, while Punjab Kings were batting at 89/1. In his first over, Eshan conceded only three runs and took the wicket of dangerous-looking opener Prabhsimran Singh, who scored 42 off 23 balls with seven fours and one six. 

In his second over, despite conceding two sixes, Eshan wasn’t very bad. The Sri Lankan pacer started his new spell in the 14th over of the innings, where he luckily got a wicket of Nehal Wadhera (27 runs in 22 balls) after conceding a four. In his final over, which was the 17th over of the innings, Eshan conceded four fours, including in the last three deliveries. He ended with the bowling figures of 4-0-45-2.

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Who is Eshan Malinga?

Eshan Malinga is a Sri Lankan right-arm fast-medium bowler who was born on February 4, 2001. He has already made his international debut, as he has played five ODIs for Sri Lanka. While he has taken four ODI wickets, he picked up three wickets (3/35) against New Zealand in the Auckland ODI last January. It was his third ODI, and Sri Lanka won that match by 140 runs after bundling out New Zealand for only 150 runs. 

Eshan has played 16 first-class matches, 17 List A games, and 16 T20s, where he picked up 39, 24, and 17 wickets, respectively.

Eshan Malinga already experienced SA20

Eshan serves for the Ragama Cricket Club in his domestic career. He played one match in the Lanka Premier League 2024 for Jaffna Kings. In the SA20 2024-25, he played for Paarl Royals, where he took four wickets in three matches. 

IPL 2025 auction: Eshan Malinga's winning bid price

In the IPL 2025 mega auction, SunRisers Hyderabad won Eshan’s bid for INR 1.20 crore, while his base price was INR 30 lakh. 

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has announced the 17-member men’s squad for the upcoming three-match away ODI series against the hosts New Zealand. New IPL joinee Eshan Malinga has earned the national team call-up for the forthcoming ODI series. 

Sri Lanka are ready for the white-ball series against the hosts New Zealand. After the three-match T20I series, which will run between December 28, 2024, and January 2, 2025, they will battle in the three-match ODI series. Wellington, Hamilton, and Auckland will host the ODIs on January 5, 8, and 11, respectively.

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Eshan Malinga earned national team call-up

The 23-year-old Sri Lankan right-arm fast-medium bowler Eshan Malinga has earned his maiden national team call-up. Recently, he was in the news after SunRisers Hyderabad bought him for INR 1.20 crore for IPL 2025. 

Eshan has taken 20 wickets in 12 List A games and 13 wickets in 13 T20s. Also, he has picked up 39 wickets in 16 first-class cricket. In the ACC Men’s T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2024-25 last October, the fast bowler took six wickets in five matches. 

Dilshan Madushanka dropped, Lahiru Kumara and Wanindu Hasaranga returned

The 24-year-old left-arm Dilshan Madushanka has been dropped from the ODI squad. While he was the third-leading wicket-taker in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 in India with 21 wickets, he picked up 14 wickets in 11 ODIs in 2024. 

While Lahiru Kumara has returned to the ODI format, Nuwanidu Fernando joined the Lankan ODI squad at the cost of Sadeera Samarawickrama’s drop. All-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga has returned to the ODI squad after recovering from injury.

Sri Lanka aren’t in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. However, it will be a good preparation for the hosts New Zealand, who will also participate in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, starting in February 2025.

Sri Lankan full ODI squad for New Zealand tour

Charith Asalanka (Captain), Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Nishan Madushka, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Nuwanidu Fernando, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Asitha Fernando, Mohamed Shiraz, Lahiru Kumara, Eshan Malinga