Malinga uncertain about his future

Sri Lanka’s stand in captain for the fourth ODI Lasith Malinga celebrates completing 300 ODI wicket during the fourth ODI against India at RPS on Thursday.

 

A mere 24 hours after claiming that he intends to play till the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup, fast bowler Lasith Malinga conceded that he is uncertain about his future after a string of poor performance. Malinga, who turned 34 this week, became only the fourth Sri Lankan to take 300 ODI wickets when he dismissed Indian captain Virat Kohli in the fourth ODI at R. Premadasa Stadium, where he was stand-in captain.

However, Malinga has been disappointing in this series having managed just two wickets in four games. Since his return from injury to ODI cricket in June, Malinga has picked up nine wickets in 12 games.

“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. 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,” Malinga said.

“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. 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,” Malinga went onto say.

The last game of the five-match ODI series is on Sunday. Sri Lanka will play a T-20 International as well against India on Wednesday and then will travel to UAE later this month for a bilateral series against Pakistan.