Lasith Malinga has been ruled out of the ongoing Indian Premier League after the Mumbai Indians medical team declared him unfit for at least another four months. The Sri Lankan doctors will now examine Malinga to decide future course of action with his injured knee.
“Mr. Malinga will present himself before the SLC panel of expert doctors on Wednesday (April 20) 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,” a release from the Sri Lanka Cricket board stated on Sunday.
If Malinga requires a surgery, he will be out of action at least for the series in England and for the home series against Australia. Earlier in the week, Sri Lanka Cricket president, Thilanga Sumathipala expressed their willingness to work with him in the future if he is deemed fit but said that they will take necessary action for the comments made to the Media.
Malinga sustained the injury to his left knee during the West Indies’ tour of Sri Lanka last November, and has tried his utmost best to regain fitness even though he failed to do so. Malinga played only one game in the past five month where he bowled extremely well against UAE in the Asia Cup in Bangladesh. After stepping down from the T20 captaincy, Malinga flew home early from the World T20 without even taking part in one game.
Mumbai Indians has still not named a replacement for Malinga.
