Malinga appointed as bowling strategy coach

Lasith Malinga (L) and Kumar Sangakkara

Former limited overs captain Lasith Malinga has been roped in as the Sri Lanka national team’s ‘Bowling Strategy Coach’ for the upcoming T20I and ODI series against Australia.   

The white-ball leg of the Australia tour of Sri Lanka starts with three T20Is next week, and Malinga will support the home side’s bowlers, “providing tactical insight and technical expertise to help the on-field execution of strategic plans,” Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said in a statement yesterday.   

“Sri Lanka Cricket is confident that Malinga’s vast experience and renowned death-bowling expertise, especially in the T20 format, will help the team immensely going into this all-important series,” the statement also read.   
Malinga played the same role when Sri Lanka toured Australia earlier this year, before being drafted in as Fast Bowling Coach by the Rajasthan Royals franchise, coached by his former national team teammate Kumar Sangakkara, during the recent Indian Premier League season.