IPL 2019: Lasith Malinga to miss the first six matches of the season for Mumbai Indians

The 12th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to get underway on Saturday. Like every year, the injuries have already haunted a few teams and the unavailability of some of the key players has made them sweat for the perfect combinations. Even Mumbai Indians (MI) is not behind in this aspect as the veteran and their long-time key player Lasith Malinga has been ruled out of the six matches of the team.

Sri Lanka‘s selectors have made it compulsory for the players to play in the forthcoming Super Provincial One Day domestic tournament to be considered for the World Cup and Malinga will be fulfilling that requirement. He is currently leading Sri Lanka in the three-match T20I series against South Africa. Moreover, the fact that he will not be available for more than one-third of a season, Malinga has himself suggested the franchise to replace him for the entire season.

“I had asked the board for the No-Objection Certificate for me to play in the IPL, and they had said that was fine, but that all players who want to go to the World Cup would need to stay back for the provincial tournament. So I told them I’d play in the provincial tournament, and I asked the board to inform Mumbai Indians and IPL, since it was their decision. I’m ok with losing those earnings from IPL. I’m doing it for the country,” Malinga said while speaking to ESPNCricinfo.

There’s no point in them waiting for me

Lasith Malinga, explaining his comment of replacing him, felt that by the time he joins the team, a lot of matches would’ve gone by. Moreover, if he is picked in the World Cup squad by Sri Lanka, then the veteran will also have to attend the training camps in May.

“Once I become available for Mumbai Indians, I would have missed seven or eight games. So there’s probably no point in them waiting around for me. Better for them to find someone else to replace me with,” he further added.

Here’s Mumbai Indians squad for IPL 2019:

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