Lasith Malinga Joins Sri Lankan Team As Bowling Strategy Coach

Former Sri Lankan pacer Lasith Malinga has been signed as the bowling strategy coach for the national team ahead of their Australian tour. He retired from all forms of cricket in the previous year and is set to take on coaching roles from hereon.

Maling has played 30 Tests, 226 ODIs, 84 T20Is for Sri Lanka. He is one of the greatest bowlers in white-ball cricket and one of the legends in the Indian Premier League (IPL) playing for the Mumbai Indians (MI).

“Malinga, in his new short-term role as a specialist coach, will support Sri Lanka’s bowlers, providing tactical insight and technical expertise to help the on-field execution of strategic plans.“

“SLC is confident that Malinga’s vast experience and renowned death-bowling expertise, especially in the T20 format, will help the team immensely going into this series,” a statement from SLC read.

Malinga is also one of the only four bowlers to take more than 100 wickets in T20I cricket. Speaking about his appointment, Malinga said:

“We have some very talented young bowlers and I am very excited about the opportunity to share my experience and knowledge to help them develop.“

In the meantime, Rumesh Ratnayake was confirmed as the interim head coach of the Sri Lankan team for the Australian T20Is. Previously banned players, Danushka Gunathilaka and Kusal Mendis were named in the squad for the 5-match T20I series.

Sri Lanka squad for Australia tour:

Dasun Shanaka (capt), Charith Asalanka, Avishka Fernando, Pathum Nissanka, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Chamika Karunaratne, Janith Liyanage, Kamil Mishara, Ramesh Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lahiru Kumara, Nuwan Thushara, Dushmantha Chameera, Binura Fernando, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Praveen Jayawickrama, Shiran Fernando.

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