Ageing fast bowler Lasith Malinga has so far struggled to make an impact and stake a claim for a return to the Sri Lanka team as he was unable to take any wickets in yesterday’s SLC T20 match at the Dambulla International Stadium.
Playing for the Kandy team Malinga bowled his quota of four overs and conceded 35 runs as the Galle team rattled up 193 runs for the loss of five wickets.
In replay the Kandy team could not go beyond a total of 186 while losing eight wickets in the 20 overs.
Malinga also struggled with his line and length by bowling three wide balls to add to his team’s woes.
In all Malinga has played in three matches so far at the SLC T20 championships taking only one wicket and conceding 93 runs which now gives the selectors enough reason to believe that he is over-the-hill and past his prime best.
In contrast the up-and-coming fast bowler Kasun Rajitha has played in the same number of matches as Malinga and taken six wickets while representing the Galle team. He is likely to secure a place in the Sri Lanka squad for next month’s Asian championships.
In the batting opener Upul Tharanga seems to have regained his form as he hammered an unbeaten 124 while playing for the Colombo team in the first match of the tournament to aggregate 221 runs in his first three games with a strike rate of 163.
