Press Trust of India
Mirpur, Feb 26: Sri Lanka’s T20 captain and strike bowler Lasith Malinga hinted here Thursday that he may call time on his international career after the ICC World T20 in India as he is finding it difficult to manage a grave knee injury.
At the post-match media conference after the game against UAE, the pace bowler was asked if he would like to quit after the upcoming edition of World T20, just like Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara did after winning the last edition, and he replied: ‘Might be’.
“I have played 12 years for the national team. I am now 32 and will soon be 33. I have had a bad injury and if at this stage I have to take one or one-and-half years of rest, I would rather have to finish my career,” stated Malinga.
“If I continue to play tough cricket for my country, I don’t think I can then totally recover from the injury. That’s why I am saying I don’t know how many months or years are left in me,” added the Sri Lankan skipper.
Malinga, however, is ready to brave pain for national team as the defending champions need him in the big event.
“This is not the right time to rest. We have the T20 World Cup and I am the most experienced bowler for Sri Lanka in this format. Whatever painkillers and injections that needs to be used, I will use as I am at end of my career. If I can do something for the team, I will do in these last few months,” asserted the fast bowler.
