Veteran Sri Lankan fast bowler Lasith Malinga might miss the first few matches of the impending IPL 2020 for the defending champions Mumbai Indians owing to personal reasons. The 13th season of the tournament begins from September 19 in the UAE.
According to a report in ESPNCricinfo, Malinga's father is ill and might require surgery in the next few weeks for which the veteran cricketer will be staying in Colombo while training.
Malinga had successfully defended eight runs in the final over for Mumbai Indians during the summit clash against Chennai Super Kings last year, despite having conceded 42 runs in his first three overs. He leaked seven runs of the first five balls and then dismissed Shardul Thakur in the last ball.
Malinga, in his 122-match IPL career, has taken 170 wickets for Mumbai ar 19.80 making him the highest wicket-taker in the tournament's history.
The 37-year-old last played for Sri Lanka in a T20I game against West Indies at home last March. He however did not participate in the conditioning camps that Sri Lanka organised in June and July.
