Not sure about if Malinga will appear in a global tournament again

Sri Lanka suffered a heart-wrecking defeat at the hands of sub-continental rivals Pakistan in the virtual quarter-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy. It was the last group game of the competition which ultimately decided the last semifinalist of this eight-nation tournament. Pakistan will now face England on Wednesday in the 1st semifinal.

Sri Lanka tried their best but fell short in the end. They couldn’t hold on to the chances given by Pakistan and that is where they lost the game. Lasith Malinga bowled his heart out but was less successful as his teammates dropped three catches off his bowling. Gunathilaka was the first one to grass one of the simplest of chances at point of Azhar Ali in the very first over of the chase.

When Pakistan needed 44 runs from 12 overs with just three wickets left, Mathews called Malinga and the old horse foxed Sarfaraz Ahmed through an off cutter which the Pakistan skipper chipped straight into the hands of mid-on only to be dropped by Thisara Perera. It was a dolly and would have been taken at any level of cricket but Perera dropped it. That is what pressure can do to you. Sarfaraz was again dropped 11 balls later, off Malinga again, by substitute fielder Seekkuge.

Malinga was disappointed as he put a lot of effort into his bowling in quest of the elusive wicket but it was not to be. He has had fitness issues in the recent past and it is not sure if the 33-year old will be seen in action in another ICC event. Angelo Mathews, his skipper, said that the fast bowler hasn’t spoken anything about it.

“I’m not really sure. He hasn’t spoken anything about it, but he’s been a great servant for Sri Lanka cricket. He’s been fantastic. We saw the effort that he put in today as well.

You know, it was unfortunate that we dropped his catches as well today, and he would have been a different bowler, but still, he came out and gave his heart out, and, yeah, he is a champion bowler for us.”

Malinga indeed has been a champion bowler in limited overs cricket for Sri Lanka. In 194 ODIs, he has managed to snap 294 wickets which include 7-five wicket hauls, the fifth most in the history of ODI cricket.