Malinga Confirms ODI retirement, Hopes To Continue Playing T20s

Sri Lanka skipper Dimuth Karunaratne had on Monday said that Malinga has decided to call it a day from the 50-over format after the first ODI of the three-match series against Bangladesh.

Confirming his retirement from one-day international cricket, Sri Lanka pace ace Lasith Malinga on Tuesday remained hopeful of playing T20s. Sri Lanka skipper Dimuth Karunaratne had on Monday said that Malinga has decided to call it a day from the 50-over format after the first ODI of the three-match series against Bangladesh. Karunaratne said the 36-year-old former captain would only take part in the first match to be played on July 26. "Friday will be the last day you will see me playing an ODI match," Malinga said in a video message on his Facebook page. "If you can, please come for the match." Malinga remained hopeful of representing Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup next year. "I hope to be able to take Sri Lanka to the next T20 World Cup," he said. "I hope I will have an opportunity to play in that tournament, but if there are better players than me, I don't mind being left out," he said. Malinga was initially named in the 22-man Sri Lanka squad for the series. The matches will be played on July 26, July 28 and July 31 at the R. Premadasa Stadium. With 335 wickets in 225 ODIs, Malinga is Sri Lanka's third highest wicket-taker in ODI cricket after Muttiah Muralitharan (523) and Chaminda Vaas (399).