Lasith Malinga and Zaheer Khan played together for Mumbai Indians. (Source: Reuters)Sri Lanka fast bowler Lasith Malinga on Friday said that he could be calling time on his international career after the the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2020. Speaking after the second T20I against South Africa, the right-armer said: “After the World Cup, my cricketing career is ending, I want to play in the T20 World Cup and then end my career.”
Maling’s remarks came after his side suffered a defeat at the hands of South Africa in the 2nd T20I against South Africa by 16 run.
The 35-year-old has taken 322 wickets in 218 ODIs throughout his career, at an average of 29.03. The seamer has also taken 97 wickets in 72 T20Is and is currently one wicket away from equalling Shahid Afridi’s record for the maximum number of wickets by a bowler in the shortest format.
In a bid to make it to Sri Lanka’s World Cup squad, Malinga has made himself unavailable for the first six fixtures of Mumbai Indians in the 12th editon of the Indian Premier League which begins Saturday. The bowler will be featuring in Sri Lanka’s Super Provincial One-Day domestic tournament, which is scheduled to start from April 4 and will conclude on April 11.
Speaking on tge move, the bowler said that the board has decided that all the players who wish to be a part of the World Cup squad, would have to play in the domestic tournament: “I had asked the board for the No-Objection Certificate for me to play in the IPL, and they had said that was fine, but that all players who want to go to the World Cup would need to stay back for the provincial tournament.” he was quoted as saying by Espncricinfo.
“So I told them I’d play in the provincial tournament, and I asked the board to inform Mumbai Indians and IPL, since it was their decision. I’m ok with losing those earnings from IPL. I’m doing it for the country,” he added.
