Sri Lankan pace bowler Lasith Malinga today expressed dismay over news reports that he feigned knee injury for avoiding Sri Lanka’s three Test series against England and playing for the lucrative IPL matches in India.
When the 27-year old Malinga announced that he could not play for the Test tour of England because of a knee injury and continued to play for the league matches on behalf of Mumbai Indians in the IPL season-4, Sri Lankan chief selector Duleep Mendis described the situation as awkward.
The fast bowler later announced his retirement from Test cricket but said he would still be available for ODIs.
Malinga said that Sri Lanka Cricket had never asked him to stop playing for the IPL matches and return to his home country. He said he had first sustained damage to his knee while playing in a one-day series in Australia in 2008. He has only played two Tests since then, both against India last year.
