Lasith Malinga to make his BPL debut, set to play for Rangpur Raiders

Sri Lankan veteran pacer Lasith Malinga will make his debut in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). The experienced campaigner has agreed to join Rangpur Raiders, the news has been confirmed by Rangpur Raiders’ chairman Mustafa Azad Mohiuddin. Malinga was set to play in the Global T20 League, which has now been postponed by the organisers.

The second highest wicket-taker in franchise based T20 league has so far played in all the T20 tournaments across the globe apart from BPL.

Malinga has turned out for the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League, Guyana Amazon Warriors and Jamaica Tallawahs in the Caribbean Premier League, Melbourne Stars in Big Bash League and he sported Kent’s color in the English County.

Malinga couldn’t repeat his heroics on his international return after being side-lined for over 18 months. He scalped just 10 wicket from 13 games at an average of 62. Following his poor form, the pacer was axed from the Sri Lankan ODI side for the series against Pakistan.

“We had a chat to some of the players who did not make this tour and were trying to see what their thinking was and then we shared our thinking. We are trying to bring Lasith back for the T20s,” Graeme Labrooy, Sri Lanka’s chairman of selectors said.

“We still feel that he can contribute in ODIs as long as he is on top of his fitness. We believe that he has got a part to play in our ODI cricket.” he added.

Fitness key: Labrooy

Talking about the importance of fitness, he said “We have stressed on the fitness. There are minimum standards set now. Players now need to get through a yo-yo test within minimum standards and their skin falls has to be less than certain standard. That’s one reason why we are not rushing Angelo Mathews. We want him 100 per cent fit with a long Indian tour coming up.”