Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Dec 30: Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has brought back one of its most iconic white-ball cricketers, Lasith Malinga, appointing him as Consultant–Fast Bowling Coach for the national men’s team on a short-term basis as part of preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
The former pace spearhead will serve in the role for one month, from December 15 to January 25, 2026, with a focus on sharpening Sri Lanka’s fast-bowling resources ahead of the global tournament, which will be jointly hosted by Sri Lanka and India.
In an official statement released on Tuesday, SLC said Malinga’s appointment is aimed at strengthening the development and readiness of the national fast bowlers during the crucial build-up phase to the World Cup. The board highlighted his unmatched experience and mastery of death bowling, particularly in the T20 format, as a key asset for the team.
Malinga remains one of Sri Lanka’s most celebrated bowlers, having represented the country in 30 Tests, 226 One-Day Internationals, and 84 Twenty20 Internationals. Across formats, he claimed 101 Test wickets, 338 ODI wickets, and 107 T20I wickets, carving out a reputation as one of the most lethal limited-overs bowlers of his era.
He played a pivotal role in Sri Lanka’s triumph at the ICC T20 World Cup in 2014 in Bangladesh and was part of the squads that finished runners-up in the tournament in 2009 and 2012. In the 50-over World Cup, Sri Lanka also ended as runners-up in 2007 and 2011 during his international career.
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled to begin on February 7, with the opening match set to take place at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) ground in Colombo.
Now 42, Malinga brings with him extensive experience from T20 leagues around the world. In addition to his international career, he was a long-serving member of the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League, playing from 2008 to 2017 and again from 2019 to 2020. He has also featured in major franchise leagues such as the Big Bash League, Caribbean Premier League, Bangladesh Premier League, and Sri Lanka’s domestic T20 competitions.
Sri Lanka Cricket hopes Malinga’s short but focused stint will provide valuable technical insight and tactical guidance as the team gears up for a high-stakes home World Cup campaign.