Lasith Malinga Is One Of The Greatest Bowlers In The Country And Is In Our T20 World Cup Plans: SLC Selection Committee

Though Sri Lanka national selection committee has assured Lasith Malinga he is in their plans for their upcoming T20 endeavours; he will meet with them to discuss it further. Lasith Malinga retired from Test cricket back in 2011 and from ODIs after the 2019 World Cup, choosing to play only T20Is. The 37-year old is also keen to know how the selection committee would avail his services in the national team.

Lasith Malinga might be the highest T20 wicket-taker; however, his recent performances have not been compelling enough. The right-arm speedster last played for the national team back in March 2020 in the home T20 series against the West Indies. In two matches, he took only one scalp at 83 and had an economy rate of 11.86. Nevertheless, Malinga is likely to be part of Sri Lanka’s squad for their upcoming tour of England in June as they are set to play three ODIs and as many T20Is.

National Selection Committee Chairman Pramodya Wickramasinghe revealed that they will talk to Lasith Malinga soon and affirmed he is in the mix for the upcoming T20 matches and the T20 World Cup in October. Wickramasinghe acknowledged that he is one of the best bowlers they have even in his present form and admitted there are back to back T20 World Cups looming. Hence, they would discuss their plans with him in the next couple of days.

“We will talk to Lasith soon. He is in our plans for the forthcoming T20 tours, including the T20 World Cup coming up in October. We always should not forget that he is one of the greatest bowlers in our country even in his present form. His records speak for that. There are two back-to-back T20 World Cups that are coming up, this year and next year. We are going to discuss our plans with him when we meet him in the next couple of days,” Wickramasinghe told the Morning Newspaper.

I have retired from both Test and ODI cricket but not from T20s: Lasith Malinga

Lasith Malinga also reminded that he has made himself available for the T20 internationals and wants to know how the selection committee would get the services of a senior player of his calibre. The veteran seamer is confident of performing well even after a long break as Malinga feels he has done it before.

“I have retired from both Test and ODI cricket but not from T20s. I also am keen to know how the selection committee is going to get the services of a senior player like me for the national side. In my career, I have proved on many occasions that I can come back after a long break and perform well for my country,” Malinga claimed.

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