Lasith Malinga to Make International Comeback For Sri Lanka in Upcoming T20 World Cup: Report

Wickramasinghe said that the board would have a discussion with Malinga soon and assured that the veteran is very much in the scheme of things.

In what could be a major boost for Sri Lanka, veteran pacer Lasith Malinga – who has retired from Tests and One Day Internationals – could make an international comeback in the Lankan squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2021. Sri Lanka National Selection Committee Chairman Pramodya Wickramasinghe said that the board would have a discussion with Malinga soon and assured that the veteran is very much in the scheme of things.

“We will talk to Lasith soon. He is in our plans for the forthcoming T20 tours, including the T20 World Cup coming up in October,” the National Selection Committee Chairman Pramodya Wickramasinghe told the Morning Newspaper.

There is little doubt that Malinga is the best bowler in the shortest format of the game and his yorkers are next to unplayable – a weapon that makes him lethal in the format.

Wickramasinghe reiterated that with two back-to-back T20 World Cups coming up, Malinga would be the key.

“We always should not forget that he is one of the greatest bowlers in our country even in his present form. His records speak for that. There are two back-to-back T20 World Cups that are coming up, this year and next year,” Wickramasinghe added.

“We are going to discuss our plans with him when we meet him in the next couple of days,” Wickramasinghe concluded.

Malinga himself has stated on record that he wants to play for Sri Lanka.

“I have retired from both Test and ODI cricket but not from T20s. I also am keen to know how the selection committee is going to get the services of a senior player like me for the national side. In my career, I have proved on many occasions that I can come back after a long break and perform well for my country,” Lasith Malinga told the Morning Newspaper.