Malinga returns to IPL as fast bowling coach

Sri Lankan veteran Lasith Malinga will return to the Indian Premier League as a fast bowling coach for Rajasthan Royals, the franchise announced in an AFP report.

Malinga remains the leading wicket-taker in the world’s most valuable cricket league with 170 scalps for five-time champions Mumbai Indians — with whom he won four titles.

Royals, who won the inaugural IPL edition in 2008 under late Australian star Shane Warne, tweeted Malinga’s picture as fast bowling coach on their official page with the caption “kisses the ball” — a reference to his trait of kissing the ball before starting a spell.

He quit franchise and international Twenty20s in 2021 and this year coached the Sri Lankan team on their five-match T20 tour of Australia.

Known for his peculiar sling-arm action, Malinga ended his glittering career with 107 T20 wickets for Sri Lanka and had previously led the team to a World Cup title in 2014.

Former Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara is the director of cricket for the Royals, which ended seventh in the eight-team table last year.

The 15th edition of the lucrative tournament has been expanded to 10 teams and will begin on March 26 in Mumbai and Pune.