Lasith Malinga Joins Mumbai Indians As Bowling Coach For IPL 2024

image-lnyevq20Lasith Malinga during his playing days for Mumbai Indians (IPLT20.COM)

Former Mumbai Indians zealot Lasith Malinga has re-joined the franchise, albeit in a different role for next year’s Indian Premier League (IPL) season. The Sri Lankan legend, who spent 12 IPL seasons at the Mumbai Indians camp since the inception of the tournament, will now coach the team’s bowling department by replacing outbound Shane Bond.

Malinga was last seen in action for the franchise back in 2019 where he helmed their pace attack alongside Jasprit Bumrah. Following the conclusion of his playing career, the cricketer served the Rajasthan Royals unit as their bowling coach in 2022 and 2023 editions of the tournament.

Lasith Malinga extends MI network

The Mumbai Indians franchise have roped in Lasith Malinga as their bowling coach, and he will be forging a strong partnership with head coach Mark Boucher and batting coach Kieron Pollard in the team’s dugout.

Malinga’s recent signing extended his Mumbai Indians network as he is also the bowling coach of franchises’ sister teams, MI New York in USA’s Major League Cricket and MI Cape Town in South Africa’s SA20.

Upon re-joining Rohit Sharma’s star-studded line-up in IPL as their bowling coach, the former Sri Lankan speedster said:

“It is truly an honour for me to be appointed Bowling Coach of Mumbai Indians and my journey in the #OneFamily continues, following MI New York and MI Cape Town. I am looking forward to working closely with Mark, Polly, Rohit and the rest of the team, especially the bowling unit, whose approach I loved last season, and the young MI talent that has the potential to excel, backed by the passionate MI Paltan.”

During his playing days for Mumbai Indians, Lasith Malinga claimed 170 IPL wickets from just 122 matches and is currently the second highest wicket-taking fast bowler in the history of the tournament. He was also a part of the IPL-winning Mumbai Indians squad on four occasions.