*𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥*
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) March 11, 2022
Lasith Malinga. IPL. Pink. 💗#RoyalsFamily | #TATAIPL2022 | @ninety9sl pic.twitter.com/p6lS3PtlI3
Rajasthan Royals on Friday announced the appointment of Sri Lanka legend Lasith Malinga as the franchise’s Fast Bowling Coach ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022.
Malinga had previously served as the Mumbai Indians bowling mentor before he returned in IPL 2019 as a player. The legendary pacer is reputed for his unconventional approach to bowling and his strategic thinking.
Malinga also served as the Sri Lanka men’s team’s bowling strategy coach for their five-match T20I tour of Australia. He was appointed by the Executive Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket in consultation with the Technical Advisory Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket.
Malinga, in his short-term role as a specialist coach, supported Sri Lanka’s bowlers, providing tactical insight and technical expertise to help the on-field execution of strategic plans. The appointment was effective from February 1-20.
Malinga, who had been one of the key figures for the Mumbai Indians during his playing career, had retired from the game last year. The stint with the Royals would be Malinga’s maiden role as a coach in the tournament.
Malinga is currently the highest wicket-taker in the history of IPL, with 170 wickets to his name in 122 matches. The 38-year-old is one of the very few players who represented only one franchise in the tournament; in Malinga’s case, Mumbai.
The pacer won five IPL titles with Mumbai Indians and played an instrumental role in each of franchise’s title-winning campaigns.
--Agencies
