Lasith Malinga is likely to be available for the next two Indian Premier League matches for Mumbai Indians after Sri Lanka Cricket softened its stance on the participation of the veteran pacer in a domestic tournament, reported ESPNCricinfo.
SLC had earlier announced that only those players would be eligible for selection in the World Cup squad, who would compete in Super Provincial One-Day domestic tournament, slated from April 4 to 11.
The diktat had forced Malinga to make himself unavailable for Mumbai Indians’ first six matches.
However, according to a report in ESPNcricinfo, the SLC has changed its stance after a few calls by BCCI.
SLC Chief selector Ashantha de Mel said that Malinga’s place in the World Cup bound squad is guaranteed, so he is free to participate in the IPL.
“We have no issues if he goes to IPL - the board had given him a no-objection certificate already, so he’s free to go. Anyway he has been one of our best bowlers in one dayers, so there’s no question about his place in the team,” Mel said.
“Anyway he has been one of our best bowlers in one dayers, so there’s no question about his place in the team,” Mel added.
The news of Malinga’s participation will boost Mumbai Indians’ confidence as they aim to register their first win of the tournament after losing to Delhi Capitals on Sunday. The teams has also lost the services of New Zealand pacer Adam Milne due to an injury. The three-time winners will lock horns with Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kings XI Punjab in back-to-back away games on March 28 and 30 respectively.
Mumbai Indians coach and former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardane had hinted before the first match that during the time of IPL auction, the franchise was not aware of a scheduled domestic T20 tournament (April 4-11) which has been made mandatory for all Lanka players to figure in to be eligible for selection for the World Cup.
“If you read the entire thing, the tournament (in Sri Lanka) is for four or five days in April. When we got into the auction, Sri Lanka cricket gave us his availability schedule and that tournament wasn’t a part of that,” he had said.