Is Lasith Malinga's ODI career nearing its end?

[Nikhil_cric]

Malinga has lost his venom and pace and his yorkers are being played out by most batsmen. In the last 2 years he has averaged 32 in ODI's with an economy of 5.5. Is he finished as a bowler?

 

[Down2Earth]

He does look as if he's finished. It could have something to do with t20s though where the work rate just isn't there. He's lazy and overweight

 

[Bilal7]

Lol! He's still the best pacer that Sri Lanka have. He'll play until he wants to.

 

[saeedhk]

Has not bowled a single delivery over 140ks in this series.

 

[Anfield]

A bit of dip in for and pace have brought poor results for him. He needs to bowl more good length balls. He has become predictable and unaffective.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Lol! He's still the best pacer that Sri Lanka have. He'll play until he wants to.

How can you know that for sure? Do you follow SL domestic?

 

[90MPH]

He has lost his pace and zip thats for sure.

Hes too predictable as well. I suppose the 2 new ball rule has not helped his cause but he hasnt helped himself either by being adding weight and losing his sharpness.

 

[velu]

average of 32 with 5.5 is quite decent

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Has not bowled a single delivery over 140ks in this series.

There was a time when he could crank it up to 150k's. His pace has indeed been poor especially for a slinger.

 

[saiyan0312]

His pace is the real let down. used to bowl once in 140+ kph consecutively and could even bowl 145 easily but now he looks very ordinary. So far he has avg 114 in this series.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

average of 32 with 5.5 is quite decent

Not for a guy who used to avg 25 in ODI's till Nov 2011. Was SL's strike bowler for about 5 years.

 

[saiyan0312]

The effects of his yorker and short bouncers was bcz of pace. His pace helped him alot. a 135 bouncer or a 133 yorker is not going to trouble batsmen.

 

[Minku]

He has gained weight and lost speed.. looks like he doesn't want to be there.. might be carrying an injury or something

 

[90MPH]

average of 32 with 5.5 is quite decent

Not for a quality bowler like him. That is signs of going the wrong way.

 

[Amjid Javed]

Down in pace, looks out of shape and on the whole he looks toothless!

 

[Bilal7]

How can you know that for sure? Do you follow SL domestic?

Do you? Anyway, if there were any better pacers than Malinga than the likes of Lakmal and all these medium pacers wouldn't get a game.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Do you? Anyway, if there were any better pacers than Malinga than the likes of Lakmal and all these medium pacers wouldn't get a game.

There are times when Kula has comfortably outbowled him especially with the new ball in recent times.

 

[IAJ]

His main problem is the the dip in pace. When he was bowling 140s he could bowl length balls and mix it up With his Deadly yorkers.

But nowadays he is 130-135 and can't bowl many length balls as he will disappear so he keeps bowling yorkers but the batsmen are now ready for his yorkers, just too predictable.

 

[Bilal7]

There are times when Kula has comfortably outbowled him especially with the new ball in recent times.

Malinga is still the best pacer that Lanka have.

 

[ChaudrySaab]

Overweight, loss of pace and predictable with his yorkers. Unless he can bring new variety in his bowling I would say he is nearing the end.

 

[Savak]

He is just to predictable. Any decent side that does its home work against him will know that he either bowls a yorker, a bouncer or a slow dipping yorker or bouncer. If you lose pace then it's a lot easier to handle.

This is the result of playing too much t 20 and odi cricket

 

[IAJ]

Malinga has been destroyed by the Professor in the current series.

 

[cricketindiafan]

Looks like so. Looks out of shape, disinterested and not the same bowler he once was.

Having said that, credit to Pakistan top order for totally neutralizing him.

 

[Extreme Pace]

Has anyone looked at his stomach ? Not the physique of a fast bowler, he's lazy and just playing for IPL money at this point. SL should kick him out IMO, he's setting a bad example and not contributing to the team.

 

[Down2Earth]

Let's not forget how pathetic his fielding has been this series too

 

[Energetic]

He's not getting young either. I think Sri Lanka will become the worst test playing nation without fellow oldies like Sanga, Mahela, Herath....tough times ahead for Sri Lanka fans as they are lacking young talent.

 

[as-95]

In 2011 he averaged 19 in ODI's. it came up in the match. Followe by in thirties in 2013... Says it all really.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

In 2011 he averaged 19 in ODI's. it came up in the match. Followe by in thirties in 2013... Says it all really.

yeah was the best limited overs pacer around that time.

 

[pakistani pride]

Looks terrible. Needs to get rid some extra kilos around the belly.

 

[hadi123]

Too much IPL. His action must be painful too. Needs to lose a few kilos but he shouldn't be dropped he's still Sri Lankas best bowler and their strongest link in pace bowling. Kulasekara is good but I'm sure People would rather face him than Malinga. Malinga is extremely inconsistent but still lethal at his best just look at his bowling performance v NZ CT

 

[JibranAnsari]

Our Gul is back..Malinga will find his form as well.

 

[Batman]

On the decline I think!

 

[as-95]

yeah was the best limited overs pacer around that time.

Absolutely. I don't even think he would stand out in the Indian bowling attack at this moment in time either apart from his slingy action. He is on the decline, Ishant is better than him right now.

 

[Kiri]

I've got nothing to add. Mali has lost his pace and has got a BELLY. He needs to get fitter if he wants to be in the team. He has proven ineffective over the last two years and the only reason SL relies on him is because of his pace.

 

[Waqas Kharian]

i just feel of SL cricket. most likely Mahela and dilshan will retire after 2015 world cup. how SL team will look like???

 

[farazaidi]

looks disinterested, as if he doesnt want to be there !

 

[Extreme Pace]

He looks pregnant.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

He looks a spent force. In Odis he really has two balls a yorker of various speeds and a a bouncer. You can just sit back in your crease and play him, especially when he is 5-8mph slower than he was at his peak.

 

[Justcrazy]

has destroyed his confidence.

He is no more same bowler.

Still Lanka should persist with him till WC at least

 

[Manaexpress]

He's just too predictable ...Wastes the new bowling by not letting it a chance to swing ...I remember Waqar saying in 2012 that Malinga bowls too many yorkers and he'll be exposed if he doesn't changes his strategy

 

[Kiri]

He's just too predictable ...Wastes the new bowling by not letting it a chance to swing ...I remember Waqar saying in 2012 that Malinga bowls too many yorkers and he'll be exposed if he doesn't changes his strategy

He doesn't really waste it. If you notice in every game, he pitches it on a length around off stump, then he allows it to seam away using his action. He hardly uses his variations in opening spells. Only during the PPs, random middle overs and the obviously the death.

 

[farazaidi]

He doesn't really waste it. If you notice in every game, he pitches it on a length around off stump, then he allows it to seam away using his action. He hardly uses his variations in opening spells. Only during the PPs, random middle overs and the obviously the death.

Well, I remember him bowling about 60% of his deliveries which were either yorker, bouncer or slower ball. And I'm only talking about the new ball spell here !

 

[akamaka]

Ever since he got phainty in THAT game , he hasn't been the same.

 

[zabalestmsm]

Is Lasith Malinga's ODI career nearing it's end?

To be frank he looks like a very unfit player. Or being forced to play. Seems so lol. His fitness has and will end his career if it was soon. Hope he takes it seriously.

 

[Saj]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>L Malinga's bowling career strike rate in ODIs is 32, against Pakistan it's 50.6. His average is 27.52, against Pakistan it's 42.28 <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23PakvSL&src=hash">#PakvSL</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/statuses/416257458219139072">December 26, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[thivakar]

Most likely, his carrer almost ended with his on going knee injury issue and SLC once didn't bother helping him out, he had to sell his own house to get treatment from Australia. The new 2 ball rule also hurt him a lot. If i remember currently, he said he has only about 3 years of cricket left in 2010 or 2011, so ya i think his predictions are becoming accurate. Over weight is only hurting his injured knee

 

[lilFlip]

Absolutely destroying Pakistan right now!! Big game big player!

 

[captainbligh]

Malinga back in the game

He looks fit as well.

 

[lilFlip]

Malinga back in the game

He looks fit as well.

Tummy is still there

 

[captainbligh]

Tummy is still there

Yep. But it doesn't look like that he's going through the 3rd trimester now.

 

[Savak]

Same issues 4 years later, disinterest in fitness, a fat belly, and predictable one dimensional bowling where he operates at 127-130 km/hr

 

[hadi123]

Happy birthday Lasith Malinga. I'm sure a great birthday gift would be him being named in the SL squad for the Asia Cup, but I think he is finished and they probably have better options than him.