Online Reporter
Eddie Chikamhi-Zimpapers Sports Hub
SRI Lanka Cricket have enlisted the services of legendary former captain Lasith Malinga to help their team prepare for the upcoming white-ball series against Zimbabwe in Harare next week.
Malinga, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest limited-overs bowlers of all time, joined the team in their training session yesterday to work with the fast bowlers.
The Asians established a training camp this week following a T20 selection event that concluded at the weekend with several of their top players featuring in the tournament.
They are expected to leave for Zimbabwe on Friday for a series comprising two ODIs and three T20Is.
Cricket Sri Lanka yesterday announced that veteran Malinga will assist the side with the preparations on a short-term arrangement.
“Lasith Malinga today joined the practice sessions of the national men’s squad as the team prepare for the upcoming Zimbabwe series.
“Malinga will work closely with the squad’s fast bowlers, offering tactical insights and technical expertise, until the team’s departure to Zimbabwe,” said Cricket Sri Lanka on their Facebook page.
Malinga is a former Sri Lanka captain and one of their most decorated players in history.
His trademark sling action has been adopted by several pacers in Sri Lanka’s ranks.
Reports from Sri Lanka said his presence should help the likes of Matheesha Pathirana and Nuwan Thushara who will be keen to pick the legend’s brain.
As part of the preparations, Malinga also engaged in tactical discussions with head coach Sanath Jayasuriya on the sidelines of the training camp, which began this week.
The travelling squad is likely to be announced today.
The white-ball series to be held in Harare features two One-Day Internationals scheduled for August 29 and 31, followed by three Twenty20 Internationals on September 3, 6 and 7.
All five matches will be played at Harare Sports Club.
Sri Lanka are using the tour as part of their preparations for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 set to run from September 9-28 in the United Arab Emirates. Sri Lanka will be one of the eight teams that will be battling it out for the coveted trophy.
The Asia Cup 2025 will be played in T20I format and will also provide a platform for dress rehearsal ahead of next year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
Ahead of the squad announcement for the Zimbabwe tour, reports from Sri Lanka indicated that promising youngsters Kamil Mishara and Vishen Halambage were in contention for spots in the T20I squad following impressive domestic performances in the SLC T20 League.
Mishara, a top-order batter, made a notable impact in the tournament, scoring 114 runs in four matches, including a solid half-century.
Halambage, meanwhile, was consistent with the bat as well, amassing 120 runs across five games.
Their form has caught the attention of selectors as Sri Lanka looks to fine-tune its squad ahead of the Asia Cup next month.
Nuwanindu Fernando is another name being considered for both the ODI and T20I squads while Pavan Ratnayake is expected to be included in the ODI setup, bringing further depth to the batting unit.
However, Sri Lanka have fitness concerns for star all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga, who is recovering from a ham-string injury sustained during the recent series against Bangladesh.
Team officials suggested he could miss the Zimbabwe series, though Hasaranga remained hopeful of regaining full fitness in time for the Asia Cup, set to begin in early September.
Zimbabwe are also looking forward to hosting the islanders, who last played in limited overs cricket in January 2024.
The T20I leg of the series holds particular importance for Zimbabwe, serving as vital preparation ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Regional Final, which the country will host from September 19 to October 4.
This regional tournament will determine the last two African qualifiers for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
“Matches between our two nations have always produced entertaining cricket and this tour comes at a crucial time for our team as we prepare for the upcoming T20 World Cup qualifying campaign,” ZC Managing Director Givemore Makoni said.
