File photo of Lasith Malinga
The Mumbai Indians have officially appointed former Sri Lankan pacer Lasith Malinga as their bowling coach, the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise announced on Friday. This timely appointment comes after the departure of Shane Bond, leaving a void that Malinga will fill. The 40-year-old Malinga, who had played for the five-time champions during his prime, will join the coaching team led by Mark Boucher and his former teammate Kieron Pollard in preparation for the upcoming season. The franchise is confident that the trio of ex-cricketers will forge a strong partnership in the dugout. Furthermore, Malinga has previously served as the bowling coach for MI New York in Major League Cricket and MI Cape Town in SA20.
“I am eagerly looking forward to working closely with Mark, Polly, Rohit, and the rest of the team, particularly the bowling unit, whose approach I admired last season, as well as the talented young players in MI, who have the potential to excel. I am grateful for the passionate MI Paltan’s support,” stated Malinga.
Malinga has been instrumental in winning crucial games for both Sri Lanka in international cricket and MI in the IPL.
The former star pacer has been associated with MI for nearly 13 years since 2008, spending 11 years as a player and one year (IPL 2018) as a bowling mentor. He was also part of the MI NY staff this year.
Together with the extended MI group, which includes MI New York and MI Cape Town, Malinga has amassed an impressive total of seven trophies, including four IPL titles, two CLT20 championships, and an MLC win.
Malinga, who retired in 2021, had also been associated with the Rajasthan Royals until this year.
In terms of Shane Bond, the renowned bowling coach has been a part of MI since 2015 and has played a key role in the team’s four IPL title victories.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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