Lasith Malinga hints at retirementÂ
What's the story?
Sri Lankan pacer Lasith Malinga has said that he will consider his future in the Lankan team after the end of their ongoing series against India. He made the statement while addressing the press in the post-match press conference following the team's ODI against India yesterday.
"I'm playing after 19 months following a leg injury. In the Zimbabwe and India series, I couldn't play well. I'll see where I'm at after this series, and evaluate how long I can play given the way my body is," said Malinga.
He also added that greater experience doesn't imply that the player will definitely perform well and said, "No matter how experienced I am, if I can't win a match for the team and do what the team needs, there's no point in me being here. I'll see if I can make up for that 19 months and regain that form over the next three or four months. I'll see the number of games that I get."
Malinga also hinted at considering his retirement if his body fails to comply with the requirements of a fast bowler in the team. "...If not, I'll have to consider the state of my body, and what is expected of me. If I can't deliver that, then I'll happily retire", he concluded.
In case you didn't know...
Malinga suffered a knee injury during the last season of the Indian Premier League while playing for the Mumbai Indians. As a result, he was ruled out of the tournament, as well as Sri Lanka's following fixtures and the Carribean Premier League.
The knee injury kept him off the field for nineteen months. His return to the national side too did not fetch the expected results. He could take only two wickets in the last four matches before being rested due to the same injury.
The details
Malinga led his team in the fourth ODI against India. Sri Lanka lost this match by 168 runs, which was their biggest defeat at home.
Pointing towards the limited experience of the players in his team, Malinga explained that it gets difficult for his team to get out of difficult situations while playing against good teams.
Except for Angelo Mathew and Lahiru Thirimanne, there are no other players who carry enough experience to confidently revive from a loss, he said.
He further added that the current Sri Lankan team will perform better when they gain enough experience. For that, the team needs to play more and more cricket against the best teams in the world. Malinga believes that his team will do well in the future.
What's next?
Maling has been ruled out of the ongoing series. Hence, the Islanders will look for an appropriate replacement when they next take on India on September 3 at the R. Premadasa Stadium.
Author's take
Every cricket fan is disheartened after seeing the poor performance of the Sri Lankan side in all their recent matches. The Lions were once one of the strongest teams in the world, but no longer. A disappointing, and injured, Malinga makes the situation worse.
We all are aware of the potential that this ace bowler beholds. However, if his physical conditions are preventing him from contributing his hundred percent in the game, he should consult with his coach and other teammates before making a final decision.