Injured Malinga out of this year’s IPL

Colombo: Lasith Malinga, the Sri Lankan pacer, has been ruled out of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2016 due to a knee injury, on Sunday (April 17). The 32-year-old joined the Mumbai Indians squad on Friday, after which the franchise’s medical team assessed Malinga’s condition and adjudged him unfit for at least four months.

Mumbai Indians have not named a replacement yet. Mumbai coach Ricky Ponting had earlier said the side had a couple of backup options in fast bowlers Tim Southee and Marchant de Lange. Southee has played the side’s last two games, against Kolkata Knight Riders and Gujarat Lions.

This puts Malinga in doubt for Sri Lanka’s tour of the United Kingdom for the limited-overs leg in June-July and also the home series against Australia that follows. However, Sri Lanka Cricket’s (SLC) doctors will examine Malinga before a decision is made.

The Mumbai franchise has now lost two key players this season, after Lendl Simmons was earlier ruled out due to a lower back injury. New Zealand’s Martin Guptill was named as Simmons’s replacement.

“Mr. Malinga will present himself before the SLC panel of expert doctors on Wednesday (20th) and depending on the outcome of the said medical examinations, be required to face a match fitness grading after which SLC will take the next appropriate steps,” an official release from the board said.

The release also stated that Malinga had not informed the board about his travel to India for the IPL. While there is no restriction from the board on Malinga for travelling to, watching, or participating in practice or training in cricket anywhere in the world, the issuance of a No Objection Certificate needed the fulfilment of a couple of criteria. To get a go ahead, an expert panel of medical professionals, appointed by the board, must clear the injury status of the player in question and he must be declared ‘match fit’ by physio, trainer, coach and selectors.

The 32-year-old picked up an injury on his left knee during the home series against West Indies in October-November last year and has since played just one international game — Sri Lanka’s tournament opener against the UAE in the Asia Cup T20 2016. The slingy pacer was then forced to miss the rest of the tournament as his condition worsened during the match.

Unsure of his availability for the World T20, 2016, he also stepped down from captaincy. Having played the warm-up matches, Malinga was expected to take the field during Sri Lanka’s campaign opener against Afghanistan but he pulled up during practice and was forced to return home.

After Wednesday’s fitness assessment, “the board will decide what course of action should be taken”.

The paceman has a long history of injury problems and gave up Test cricket in 2010, saying he was unable to withstand the rigour of five-day matches. Malinga is the IPL’s all-time highest wicket taker and the 32-year-old is considered an invaluable member of the Sri Lankan team, with teammate Thisara Perera describing him during the World T20 as irreplaceable.