'What’s this guy bowling? He’ll break my bat man!' - Shimron Hetmyer's hilarious take while facing Lasith Malinga in the nets

He might have bid the sport a goodbye, but Lasith Malinga’s unfailing accuracy and ability to deliver toe-crushing yorkers at will has not waned one bit. A bowling coach now with the Rajasthan Royals, Malinga was seen giving a taste of his yorkers to Shimron Hetmyer in the nets before the team’s clash against Delhi Capitals at the Wankhede Stadium on April 22.

In a video of the throwdown session posted by the franchise on their Twitter, Malinga was seen sending down pinpoint yorkers to Hetmyer without any runup. Hetmyer, known for his belligerence with the bat, did manage to tonk a couple of balls over his coach’s head but was forced to uncharacteristically block a few deliveries for they were aimed right at his boot by a bowler who was known for that ability throughout his playing career.

Malinga broke many a bat during his heydays and left Hetmyer worried for his, as the batter quipped, “What’s this guy bowling? He’ll break my bat man!”. Malinga then bowled one wide outside the off stump, right in the blockhole. While Hetmyer did manage to put bat to it, he joked, “That would’ve been a wide had I left. A wide!”.

Malinga 🆚 Hettie = 🔥🔥🔥#ShowerCooler | #RoyalsFamily | #HallaBol pic.twitter.com/LcsBjg08t3

— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) April 21, 2022

The Caribbean sensation has been in prime form this year, repaying in full the faith shown in him by the franchise with a staggering tally of 223 runs in six innings at an exceptional average and strike rate of 74.33 and 179.84. His scores this season read 32 (13), 35 (14), 42* (31), 59* (36), 29 (17), 26* (13) as he has contributed in every game without exception, playing the crucial finisher role with sheer dominance.

That, alongside the contributions from Jos Buttler, the current Orange Cap holder (375 runs in six innings), and Yuzvendra Chahal, the Purple Cap holder (17 scalps), means the Royals sit pretty at the third spot in the tally, with eight points in six games. As for the bowling coach Malinga, the 38-year-old would only be pleased by how the pacers and spinners have gelled up well to ensure the Royals have defended successfully four times in a season where chasing teams have evidently dominated the proceedings.