Mumbai fast bowler Lasith Malinga is set to bow out of the opening few matches of the Indian T20 League's 2020 season due to personal reasons.
The 36-year-old pacer reportedly wishes to be the side of his father, who has been ill and possibly in need of surgery sometime in the near future and will likely join up with his squad once the playoffs loom near.
With his father's health in question and the Sri Lankan government mandating a 14-day quarantine period upon arriving in the country, it would have been difficult for Malinga to visit his father in time should the need have arisen.
With 170 scalps under his belt, Malinga is highest wicket-taker in the league and he has been a mainstay at the Mumbai squad ever since he joined them in 2009. While he briefly served as a bowling mentor, his value as a bowler was worth enough to the squad that they paid a whopping two crore rupees to bring his unique brand of fast-bowling back on board.
Picking up the slack for Malinga during his absence will be fellow Mumbai bowlers Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Dhawal Kulkarni, Mitchell McClenaghan as well as all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard.
Feature image courtesy: AFP / Noah Seelam
