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Lasith Malinga has ruled himself out of at least the first six IPL matches for Mumbai Indians in order to qualify for the Sri Lanka World Cup squad. With Sri Lanka’s selectors having told players they must play in the forthcoming Super Provincial One Day domestic tournament if they are to be considered for the World Cup, Malinga has chosen to fulfil that requirement.
As he is out for over a third of the season, Malinga himself suggested Mumbai Indians may be better off replacing him for the entire tournament.
Although bought at the auction for INR 2 crore (approx USD $290,000), Malinga recently stated his commitment to Sri Lanka’s World Cup campaign. Not only is he Sri Lanka’s present ODI captain, he has also been named captain of the Galle side in the Super Provincial tournament. That Super Provincial tournament runs from April 4 to April 11, with the squads expected to be training a few days before the tournament starts. Malinga does not get back to Sri Lanka until March 26, as he is still with Sri Lanka’s T20 side in South Africa.
“I had asked the board for the No-Objection Certificate for me to play in the IPL, and they had said that was fine, but that all players who want to go to the World Cup would need to stay back for the provincial tournament,” Malinga told ESPNcricinfo. “So I told them I’d play in the provincial tournament, and I asked the board to inform Mumbai Indians and IPL, since it was their decision. I’m ok with losing those earnings from IPL. I’m doing it for the country.”
More to follow…
Andrew Fidel Fernando is ESPNcricinfo’s Sri Lanka correspondent. @afidelf
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo