Sri Lanka's Malinga ruled out of World T20 due to knee injury

Sri Lanka's Lasith Malinga looks on his mobile phone while waiting at cricket board in Colombo March 8, 2016. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte

MUMBAI (Reuters) - Sri Lanka fast bowler Lasith Malinga has been ruled out of the World Twenty20 due to a knee injury, the defending champions said on Friday.

"Malinga's knee injury flared up before the match against Afghanistan yesterday," a team spokesperson said.

"He has been ruled out of the World Cup and has flown back to Sri Lanka this afternoon."

(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly; editing by Ed Osmond)