Sri Lankan Yorker specialist Lasith Malinga has been named as the bowling strategy coach for his National side for the upcoming white-ball series against Australia.
Malinga named as bowling strategy coach of Sri Lanka
During the Australia tour of Sri Lanka, both teams will lock their horns to play a multi-format series which includes 3 match T20I series, 5 match ODI series, and 2 match Test series.
The eight white-ball matches will be played across the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo and the Pallekele International Stadium in Kandy between June 7 and June 24.
“Sri Lanka Cricket wishes to announce the appointment of Lasith Malinga, the Sri Lankan fast bowling legend and former captain of the ODI and T20I team, as the ‘Bowling Strategy Coach’ of the National Team for the white ball segment of the Australia Tour of Sri Lanka,” said a statement from SLC.
Malinga will play a role where he will support Sri Lankan bowlers by providing tactical insight and technical expertise to help the on-field execution of strategic plans.
Earlier, Malinga held the same role with the Sri Lankan cricket team when they toured Australia in February this year for a white ball series.
T20 World Cup 2014 winning captain Lasith Malinga announced his T20 retirement in September 2021 which makes his international career come to an end. Earlier to this Malinga announced his Test and ODI retirement.
In January 2021, Malinga retired from franchise cricket after Mumbai Indians decides to break their cricket relationship with Malinga.
Malinga in his international career played 30 Test matches, 226 ODI’s, and 84 IPL’s and picked 101, 338, and 107 wickets respectively.
In IPL, Malinga played 122 matches and bagged 170 wickets which makes him as the second leading wicket-taker in IPL after Bravo. After ending his long IPL career, Malinga picks the role as a bowling coach. Ahead of IPL 2022, Rajasthan Royals named Malinga as their fast bowling coach.
After winning the trophy in 2008, Rajasthan Royals made their first-ever final appearance in IPL 2022 season. Turning down their fortune, Hardik Pandya led Gujarat Titans have won the IPL 2022 trophy.
The two Test matches, which will be part of the World Test Championship, will be played in the coastal city of Galle from June 29 to July 3 and July 8-12.
Australia last toured Sri Lanka in 2016, when they lost the three-match Test series 3-0, despite a record-breaking campaign from Mitchell Starc.
The Aussies then won the ODI leg of the tour, which was highlighted by a hat-trick to James Faulkner, before sweeping the T20 series 2-0, including a record-breaking century from Glenn Maxwell.
