Mumbai Indians pace spearhead Lasith Malinga is likely to miss the initial part of the IPL in the UAE, as he will be unable to travel abroad because of personal reasons.
The veteran Sri Lankan pacer is expected to stay in Colombo as his father has been unwell and may need to undergo surgery in the coming weeks, ESPNcricinfo reported. With the IPL 2020 scheduled to start from September 19 in the UAE, Malinga looks likely to join the Mumbai Indians only during the business end of the tournament.
As per the Lankan government COVID-19 guidelines, a 14-day quarantine is mandatory for anyone coming from abroad, which would have made it difficult for Malinga to come to Colombo from the UAE, on short notice to meet his father.
The 36-year-old was Mumbai's hero in the final last year against the Chennai Super Kings, defending eight runs in a dramatic final over.
Despite Malinga's imminent absence, Mumbai Indians have a formidable pace attack, comprising Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Mitchell McClenaghan and Dhawal Kulkarni, along with all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard.
