Recently Lasith Malinga was quoted in the cricket news as saying that Mumbai, (the IPL team that he plays for is the Mumbai Indians) is his favourite Indian city and that Sachin Tendulkar is God. He said Sachin is the one player he admires the most. Malinga is happy to be part of the IPL this year which he missed last year owning to injury. This year he has the chance to play in the same team as Tendulkar, Jayasuriya, and Shaun Pollock and hopes to make the most of this opportunity.
Lasith Malinga has been in the cricket news for many reasons, his unconventional ‘slinging’ action which has been repeatedly criticised, for being erratic, for being among the fastest bowlers in international cricket, for his strikingly coloured wild looking hair, his piercings tattoos and many other reasons. Recently he was in cricket news for speaking in glowing terms about his IPL team captain, Sachin Tendulkar and about his mysterious knee injury and equally mysterious cure.
According to Malinga, he had sustained an injury which kept him out of cricket for some 10 months and which no one was able to diagnose. Thereafter it was the president of Sri Lanka who introduced him to the doctor, who was finally able to help the Sri Lankan pacer. Reportedly, what the doctor did is still a mystery to the bowler, but according to him, the injury that troubled him for 10 months causing swelling and pain keeping him out of international cricket, disappeared in just a few days. Dr. Eliyantha White effected the cure with the help of some herbs; he is also known to work with “supernatural elements” according to Malinga. As for the T20 format, Malinga thinks it is a good way to keep in rhythm, and with only 4 overs to bowl it keeps a bowler fresh while letting him bowl to the best batsmen. Malinga is now more conscious of his line and length while keeping his bowling speeds between 140 and 150 kmph. As for this strange slinging action which can seem so peculiar to watch, it is something he is comfortable with, though he is aware that it makes many batsmen somewhat uncomfortable. That he has the highest regard for the Indian master blaster and his compatriot Sanath Jayasuriya became evident when he said they were the most dangerous batsmen in the world. He also made mention of Virender Sehwag and Chris Gayle of the West Indies, who according to him are very tough to bowl to if they get going. As for his tattoos and his wild hair, Malinga indulges himself, but says there is more to him that just all that and that the game has taught him a few things over the years.
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