“I don’t think about the situation or who is batting or whatever… I just give my best,” says Lasith Malinga in an exclusive chat.
It’s a bright and sunny afternoon at the picturesque Riverside ground in Chester-le-Street. The Sri Lankan team had just reached the stadium for a training session ahead of its World Cup league fiÂxture against the West Indies.
Far away in Birmingham, India was playing England and most of the Lankan players have an eye on the television. A win for India would keep Sri Lanka alive in the race for the semifiÂnals. Chasing a 300-plus total, India loses K. L. Rahul early, and a bunch of Lankan cricketers — clearly disappointed— come out of the dressing room and hit the ground for some warm-up. (India lost to England, which meant Sri Lanka failed to reach the knock-out stage of theWorld Cup for the fiÂrst time since 1999.)
After a few minutes, you see a familiar face stepping into the ground. There he is— Lasith Malinga!
At a time when most of his contemporaries have either called it a day or are contemplating retirement, Malinga continues to spearhead the Lankan pace bowling attack. At 35, he is hungry for more success. Contrary to speculations and reports, he wants to play for another year or two for the national team.
Before hitting the nets, the pace ace walks up to Sportstar and says with a smile, “You have got questions, huh? Shoot…”
And, we get going….
You have had a memorable outing in the World Cup. How would you rate it?
I am happy to play for the national team, especially since this is my last World Cup. I really enjoyed it. There is a good (camaraderie) between the senior and young players. I don’t take any pressure; try to stay relaxed and play my natural game.
Your four-wicket haul against England helped Sri Lanka bounce back in the tournament. Having featured in so many international games, what do you do in a pressure situation?
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