Lasith Malinga named Sri Lanka "Bowling Strategy Coach"

Sri Lanka named fast-bowling legend Lasith Malinga their "bowling strategy coach" on Thursday for the eight white-ball matches against Australia starting next week. Sri Lanka Cricket said the 38-year-old's expertise and experience would be crucial for the three T20 matches and five one-day internationals to be played in Colombo and Kandy.

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"Sri Lanka Cricket is confident that Malinga's vast experience and renowned death-bowling expertise, especially in the T20 format, will help the team immensely going into this all-important series."

The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Board said

"(He) will support Sri Lanka's bowlers, providing tactical insight and technical expertise to help the on-field execution of strategic plans," the board added.

Malinga ended his ODI career in July 2019 and played his last T20I in March 2020. He took 338 ODI wickets and 107 in the T20 format, in addition to 101 Test wickets.

The Australian team arrived in Colombo on Wednesday night for an all-format series against Sri Lanka, the first in six years.

They will also play two Tests, both in Galle.

Sri Lanka vs Australia: Full Schedule & Dates

First T20I - June 7, Colombo

Second T20I - June 8, Colombo

Third T20I - June 11, Kandy

First ODI - June 14, Kandy

Second ODI - June 16, Kandy

Third ODI - June 19, Colombo

Fourth ODI - June 21, Colombo

Fifth ODI - June 24, Colombo

First Test - June 29, Galle

Second Test - July 8, Galle