Top five expensive spells in One-Day cricket

4. Lasith Malinga (1/96 in 7.4 overs; SL vs India, Hobart, 28 Feb 2012)

This one was a thriller for sure. For India to make it to the final of the Commonwealth Bank Series, they had to attain the target of 321 in 40 overs against a charged-up Sri Lanka squad and turn around a tour that had become a giant albatross hanging around MS Dhoni’s neck; they had been whitewashed 4-0 in the preceding Test series against the Aussies.

And the man who bore the brunt of Virat Kohli’s brutal assault was the slinger himself. Lasith Malinga had more than just a forgettable day in the field; he was completely decimated by the young Delhi batsman.

The initial onslaught of boundaries came from openers Sachin and Sehwag; by the time Kohli arrived to the wicket, Malinga had already gone for 30-odd in his first three overs. He managed to knock over the Little Master, but then bled runs freely as first Gautam Gambhir and then Kohli got stuck into him.

The yorkers were missing their mark, and the line and length went for a complete toss. Malinga’s bowling in the Powerplay went from wayward to horrid in one stroke and a single over.

Kohli savaged the pacer for 24 runs in those six deliveries, including a wonderful six over mid-wicket, and finished off the game with consecutive boundaries as the wild-haired speedster cut a crestfallen figure at the other end.