Lasith Malinga, the legendary Sri Lankan fast bowler, has been selected as Rajasthan Royals’ new fast bowling coach ahead of the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) season.
Lasith Malinga, the legendary Sri Lankan fast bowler, has been selected as Rajasthan Royals’ new fast bowling coach ahead of the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. The IPL 2022 season begins on March 26.
With 170 wickets in 122 matches, Malinga, 38, is the IPL’s all-time highest wicket-taker. The Mumbai Indians veteran last participated in the league in the 2019 season, and he has since withdrawn from the next season.
He joined the Rajasthan Royals coaching staff, which is headed by Kumar Sangakkara, a fellow Sri Lankan icon and his former captain. The coaching staff will also include Trevor Penney (Team Catalyst and Assistant Coach), Zubin Bharucha (Strategy, Development and Performance Director), and Dishant Yagnik (Fielding Coach).
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“Lasith is arguably one of the greatest T20 fast bowlers of all time, and to have a personality like his around the training ground, and the expertise he brings to the table, is certainly something we feel the team can benefit from. We have some of the best fast bowlers in our squad and we are delighted that they will have the chance to work with Lasith and get to learn and develop further,” said, Sangakkara, RR’s Director of Cricket as quoted by the Outlook.
“It’s a wonderful feeling for me to return to the IPL and an absolute honour to join Rajasthan Royals, a franchise that has always promoted and developed young talent. I am excited by the pace bowling unit we have going into the tournament and looking forward to supporting all the fast bowlers with the execution of their game-plans and their overall development,” said Malinga.
Malinga had an illustrious 17-year career in which he appeared in 340 matches across all formats and bagged 546 wickets. He captained Sri Lanka to in the 2014 ICC T20 World Cup and won the title. He most recently worked as Sri Lanka’s Bowling Strategy Coach for their T20I series against Australia in February 2022.
“I’ve made some very special memories in the IPL with Mumbai Indians and now with Royals, looking forward to new experiences and creating great memories in this journey,” Malinga further said.
Apart from the Mumbai Indians, Malinga did not play for any other franchise in any IPL season.
Rajasthan Royals will face Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 29 in their first match of the IPL 2022 season.
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