Malinga to quit ODIs after first Bangladesh match

COLOMBO: Veteran Sri Lankan pace bowler Lasith Malinga will retire from One-day International cricket with the first match of a three-match series against Bangladesh, skipper Dimuth Karunaratne said on Monday.

Malinga was named to the 22-man Sri Lanka squad for the series with matches scheduled for July 26, 28 and 31 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

But speaking at the team’s press conference in the Sri Lankan capital, Karunaratne confirmed the 36-year old fast bowler and former captain would only appear in the first game.

“He is going to play the first match. After that he is retiring. That’s what he said to me. I don’t know what he said to the selectors but to me he said he is playing only one match,” said Karunaratne.

Malinga, 35, will leave as Sri Lanka’s third highest wicket-taker in ODI cricket with 335 wickets in 219 innings so far.

Only Muttiah Muralitharan (523) and Chaminda Vaas (399) have taken more wickets than Malinga in ODIs for Sri Lanka.

He was Sri Lanka’s highest wicket-taker at the World Cup, claiming 13 scalps in seven innings.

Malinga retired from Test cricket in 2011 but continued to remain available in other formats since then.