Sports minister Dayasiri Jayasekera had criticised the Sri Lankan team for their lack of fitness after the team failed to reach the semi-final of ICC Champions Trophy 2017 and Lasith Malinga later compared him to a monkey.
Lasith Malinga has landed himself in a controversy after his comments about Sri Lanka’s sports minister. The Sri Lanka fast bowler faced an investigation on Thursday after he compared the minister a monkey, the AFP reported.
Sports minister Dayasiri Jayasekera had criticised the Sri Lankan team for their lack of fitness after the team failed to reach the semi-final of ICC Champions Trophy 2017. Malinga later compared him to a monkey on which the minister order an investigation.
“He is now under investigation for making statements to the media in breach of his contract with Sri Lanka Cricket (board),” Jayasekera told AFP. “In my criticism of the appalling fitness levels of our players, I did not name Malinga, but he has chosen to put the hat on and attack me publicly.”
Earlier, Malinga was talking on a telivision channel where he said that the sports minister was simply ‘warming chairs.’
“I don’t care about criticism from those who are simply warming chairs,” he said. “What does a monkey know about a parrot’s nesting hollow? This is like a monkey getting into a parrot’s nest and talking about it.”
Sri Lanka dropped two catches of Sarfraz Ahmed in Pakistan’s chase of 230 in the final group game. It was a virtual quarter-final and Pakistan made it to the semi-final before winning the tournament.
Jayasekera said he had the players tested for body fat and most players had excess of fat for a cricketer.
“The typical body fat amounts for a cricketer should be about 16 percent, but most of our players have over 25 percent,” Jayasekera said. “I want the results analysed and in future no one will be included in a national squad if they are above 16 percent.”
Malinga was playing an ODI for Sri Lanka after 18 months when he was picked for the Champions Trophy. He had played in the IPL before the tournament.
“They improve their fitness level just to bowl four oversat the IPL,” Jayasekera said, referring to Malinga. “These guys are not interested in playing for the country, they play for the IPL because of the money they get.”
Source: Cricket.com.pk