World Cup 2019 | Scared to bowl Hardik Pandya in World Cup, says Lasith Malinga

04/16/2019

Mumbai Indians pacer Lasith Malinga has admitted that he is scared of bowling to teammate Hardik Pandya when the latter would don the India jersey at the World Cup. Malinga also opened up about his struggles of travelling back home for domestic cricket and returning to IPL, calling it "tough".

Despite being hot and cold in the Indian Premier League this season, MIhave, more often than not, found heroes in their stars like Hardik Pandya, Keiron Pollard, Malinga, and others. Last evening, it was Pandya who turned on the heat against Pawan Negi, hitting him for 22 runs in the 19th over to take his team home. Malinga, who was adjudged the Man of the Match in that game for finishing with figures of 4/31, has revealed that he would be apprehensive about bowling to Pandya when India meet Sri Lanka at the World Cup in England and Wales.

"How good for him. I am really scared to bowl to him at the World Cup. If I play against him, I will be scared because we know he is in a really good touch now. Yes, I think we have to restrict him and if we can get an early wicket, I will do that," Lasith Malinga told Mumbai Indians on Monday.

Pandya has seemingly regained his mojo in IPL playing the role of the finisher perfectly as he has already amassed 186 runs at a stunning strike rate of 191.75 from just eight innings. Malinga was a breath of fresh air for MI who had just lost Alzarri Joseph to a tournament-ending injury ahead of the match. Malinga, who had started the IPL season as a regular, had to go to Sri Lanka to play domestic tournaments but, Monday’s performance proved that he didn’t lose his sheen in all the hassle.

"It's been tough for me in the last couple of weeks, because I had to go back to Sri Lanka to play domestic cricket. But I realized whenever I play I got to give my 100 percent and today I did my best and we won the game. We have to prepare mentally for this kind of a tournament. Skill-wise you obviously know what to do," he added.