Country comes first than anything else -Malinga

Lasith Malinga made a special short visit to Sri Lanka while playing in the IPL to attend a press briefing to express his correct stand in quitting Test cricket. Malinga confessed that it is ‘HURTING’ exit from Test cricket due to his degenerating condition of his right knee sustained while taking part in an ODI against Australia in the year 2008.Many views have been aired in the media by unscrupulous elements in regard to Lasith Malniga quitting Test cricket without knowing the exact reason. Some serious allegations such as ‘country before self’ while some others say ‘money before self’, denigrating Malinga’s desire to earn money. This is owing to his skills that he is fortunate to have been endowed with. All of them will be astonished when the truth is revealed. The real story behind his decision, he himself had conveyed and clarified clearly to the media. This was a decision he had taken some time back and the true fact was published in the media very much earlier. However accusations are that he made himself unavailable for the England tour having cited fitness problems, which is the gospel truth.

He also spoke that the SLC officials who were in the administration in 2008 withdrew his contract having been injured while playing for the country, for which he is also very hurt But another cricketer with a similar injury was awarded the cricket contract .His injury is a career threatening one, a chronic degenerating condition of his right knee. Up to the time of his injury he had captured 100 Test wickets. He is confident with his present knee condition he could play cricket for a further 3-4 years. The main proposition is to choose what formats of cricket suits him. He kept out of Test cricket for 18 months and ODI’s for 16 months. According to his expert Orthopedic surgeon and the Team Physiotherapist that his condition would worsen if subjected to fielding and bowling for prolonged periods

Lasith Malinga is only 27 years old called by cricketing experts, analysts and commentators as ‘slinger’ owing to his square arm action and they have rated during the Indian Premier League matches as the world’s leading and dangerous pace bowler, who can go through any batting line up within two or three overs . Malinga clarified that he is undergoing rehabilitation programmes. In this context he would be participating only in T/20 and ODI’s and not in the longest format of the game. He is eagerly waiting to play in the World T/20 in the year 2012 and in the next World cup in the year 2015.

In the above context it is very unfair to sling missiles, brickbats at our ‘Slinger’ Lasith Malinga who has brought many laurels to the country via his sterling bowling performances.