Five-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Mumbai Indians have officially announced the appointment of former Sri Lankan pace sensation Lasith Malinga as their bowling coach. This strategic move swiftly fills the void created by the departure of Shane Bond, who had been serving as the team's bowling coach.
Lasith Malinga, now 40 years old, is no stranger to the Mumbai Indians, having previously played a pivotal role in the team during his prime years. He will be an integral part of the coaching team, led by Mark Boucher, and featuring his former teammate Kieron Pollard. The franchise is confident that these three former cricketers will form a potent coaching partnership in the dugout.
Malinga has not only contributed to the Mumbai Indians but has also gained coaching experience in the international cricket circuit. He previously served as the bowling coach for MI New York in Major League Cricket and MI Cape Town in SA20.
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Expressing his enthusiasm, Malinga said, "I am looking forward to working closely with Mark, Polly, Rohit, and the rest of the team, especially the bowling unit, whose approach I loved last season, and the young MI talent that has the potential to excel, backed by the passionate MI Paltan."
Lasith Malinga is renowned for his ability to perform under pressure, and he played a pivotal role in securing victories for both Sri Lanka in international cricket and the Mumbai Indians in the IPL. During his illustrious career, Malinga has spent close to 13 years with the Mumbai Indians since 2008. This period includes 11 years as a player and an additional year (IPL 2018) as the MI bowling mentor. Notably, he was also a part of the MI NY staff in the most recent season.
With the extended Mumbai Indians group, which includes MI New York and MI Cape Town, Lasith Malinga has an impressive tally of seven trophies, comprising four IPL titles, two CLT20 championships, and one MLC triumph. Although Malinga officially retired from professional cricket in 2021, he continued to contribute to the sport as a coach, having also worked with the Rajasthan Royals until this year.
On the other hand, Shane Bond, who had been associated with MI since 2015 and contributed significantly as the team's bowling coach, departs after securing four IPL trophies during his tenure.
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