The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : I won't be able to play next WC: Malinga

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I won't be able to play next WC: Malinga

Colombo: Dejected after Sri Lanka's second successive loss in the World Cup finals and prone to injuries, pacer Lasith Malinga on Sunday announced that he would not be around to play the next edition of the mega event.

“I hope to be of service to my team as long as I can, but I won't be able to play in the next World Cup in 2015.

“I have been carrying injuries for the past few weeks and with little rest,” the 27-year-old told a local TV channel here.

The bowler with a sling-arm action was laid low by a right knee injury in 2008 and 2009 but did not say what might be troubling him right now.

“I ask the youngsters to play well in the next World Cup,” he said.

Malinga did well for himself when he grabbed the wickets of Indian openers Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag but didn't get the support from other bowlers as the host romped home easily.

“I did what the team expected me to do,” the bowler, who has taken 127 wickets in 84 one-dayers, said.

“I couldn't bowl yorkers properly because the ball was too wet. It was difficult to swing the ball. I tried hard. I regret I couldn't take more wickets,” he added.

Sri Lanka's only World Cup triumph came in 1996. — PTI

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