‘Dropped catches led to Malinga’s failure’
PALLEKELE: Sri Lanka are desperate to arrest their freefall as they grapple with transition and rank bad performances in this series. Even their past matchwinner, Lasith Malinga, has not been of much help.
He didn’t take a wicket in the first ODI in Dambulla on Sunday as India swept to a ninewicket victory. Sri Lanka are in a dilemma as there is little experience in the pace department with Dhammika Prasad and Nuwan Pradeep injured and left-arm Vishwa Fernando having made his debut only on Sunday.
Lasith Malinga, the only bowler in ODI history to take four wickets in a row, has largely plied his trade for Indian Premier League champions Mumbai Indians in the last few seasons.
Criticised for poor fitness and not pushing himself for Sri Lanka, Malinga made his ODI return in the ICC Champions Trophy in June this year, having played his previous game back in November 2015.
Malinga, who turns 34 on Monday, took just three wickets in three matches as Sri Lanka tumbled out in the group stage, despite beating eventual run- ners-up India.
Malinga returned 0/52 in Dambulla, but Sri Lanka interim head coach, Nic Pothas described him a “leader” in the dressing room.
“I don’t purely look at what Malinga can do with the ball. I also look at what he does for the young bowlers in the change room. Lasith is a very, very valuable player for us.
“Yes, he hasn’t performed like the Lasith of a few years ago, but we could draw up a list of a whole host of players who are not performing like they were a few years ago.”
Pothas pointed out the catches dropped off Malinga. In nine matches this year, he has taken just seven wickets, but 12 catches have been put down off his bowling. He completed 200 ODIs in Dambulla and is two short of claiming 300 scalps.