Lasith Malinga, the Sri Lanka fast bowler, has announced that he will not play in another World Cup.
“I hope to be of service to my team as long as I can, but I won’t be able to play in the next World Cup in 2015. I have been carrying injuries for the past few weeks and with little rest,” he said.
He did not elaborate on his injuries, but a career-threatening right knee injury sidelined him in 2008 and in early 2009.
“I ask the youngsters to play well in the next World Cup,” he said after the team lost the World Cup final to India by six wickets.
During Saturday’s final, Malinga’s trademark collection of yorkers and toe-crushers grabbed the wickets of Virender Sehwag, leg before for a duck, and Sachin Tendulkar for 18, but he was unable to make further inroads into the powerful India batting line-up, despite finishing with figures of two for 42 and 13 wickets in the tournament.
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“I did what the team expected me to do,” said the seamer, who has taken 127 wickets during a seven-year limited-overs career spanning 84 games.
“I couldn’t bowl yorkers properly in the final because the ball was too wet. It was difficult to swing the ball. I tried hard. I regret I couldn’t take more wickets.”
Meanwhile, team-mate Angelo Mathews will be out of action for eight weeks due to a side strain.