Malinga puts country over club, MI coach unhappy
MUMBAI: A day after Lasith Malinga opted out of Mumbai Indians’ early matches to play in a domestic one-day event in Sri Lanka in his bid for World Cup selection, his compatriot and IPL team coach Mahela Jayawardane criticised the island’s cricket Board for not providing the information before the December player auctions.
Jayawardane said MI would seek clarification about Malinga’s availability with Sri Lanka Cricket. “The report (in the media) was last night, so we need to gather thoughts and see. If you read the entire thing, the tournament (in SL) is for four, five days in April (April 4-11). So, till that time there is availability.
“When we got (into) auctions, Sri Lanka Cricket gave us his availability schedule, so that tournament wasn’t a part of that. So there is a conversation to be made, once we get through that, we will let you know what exactly is happening,” he said on Saturday. MI’S pace resources will be stretched as New Zealand’s Adam Milne is also injured.
Malinga put the onus on his Board and even suggested Mumbai Indians should find a replacement. “I had asked the Board for the No-objection Certificate to play in IPL and they had said that was fine but all players who want to go to the World Cup would need to stay back for the provincial tournament,” he was quoted as saying by Espncricinfo.
The 35-year-old record IPL wicket-taker (154) said, “Once I become available for Mumbai Indians, I would have missed seven or eight games,” he said. “So, there’s probably no point in them waiting for me, better for them to find a replacement.”