Lasith Malinga made available to Mumbai Indians after SLC change of heart

Lasith Malinga will now be available for Mumbai Indians through the entirety of April, with Sri Lanka Cricket granting the paceman permission to skip the domestic Super Provincial One-Day Tournament, which he was earlier expected to take part in. However, Malinga is keen to participate in the domestic tournament, because, as Sri Lanka's limited-overs captain, he wants to have a close look at some of the players that are likely to feature in the World Cup squad.

In a statement on Tuesday, SLC said that the decision to release Malinga was because "he would get an opportunity to play with much stronger opposition in the IPL tournament, which consist of international players."

Malinga told ESPNcricinfo that he would consult the Mumbai Indians management on whether he would be allowed to participate in the domestic one-day tournament, which is likely to be played between April 4 to 11, although the SLC has not yet released the final schedule for the tournament.

"As the captain of the Sri Lanka ODI team, I also think it is important to play the provincial tournament, because I will also be able to see our players in action first hand"

LASITH MALINGA

"I'm very thankful to the board for having released me for the full IPL," Malinga said. "But as the captain of the Sri Lanka ODI team, I also think it is important to play the provincial tournament, because I will also be able to see our players in action first hand. I will go to Mumbai and I'll talk to the management there about getting released to play the provincial tournament."

Malinga will now join the Mumbai team, and is likely to be available for selection for their next match, away against Royal Challengers Bangalore, on Thursday. In case Malinga does return to Sri Lanka to play in the domestic one-dayers, he might leave after the April 3 match against Chennai Super Kings and miss about three matches in case his team - Galle - reach the final.

Incidentally, it was only last week the SLC had a very different view on Malinga's participation in the IPL. Last Friday, the SLC had stipulated that Malinga must play in the weeklong provincial one-day tournament in Sri Lanka in order to be considered for selection in the World Cup squad. But the board climbed down from that position over the weekend, until the final decision to allow Malinga to skip the provincial tournament in its entirety.

The SLC decision comes on the back of intervention from BCCI, which wanted to ensure maximum availability of prominent overseas players in the IPL at least in the first half. Before the player auction in December, all the international boards had already notified the BCCI about the cut-off dates for their players to be released from the IPL. Barring New Zealand and West Indies, players from rest of the World Cup-participating countries would be leaving the IPL early to take part in preparatory camps or ODI series in the lead-up to the World Cup.

Although there is some dissatisfaction on the Malinga issue within the board (at least one official believes Malinga used his contacts in India to get the BCCI to campaign for his release from the domestic tournament in Sri Lanka), the board's decision is a reflection of the power the BCCI wields. Not only is SLC heavily reliant on India tours for broadcast income, the board is also hoping for the BCCI's support with the launch of the Lankan Premier League, which is tentatively scheduled for September.

Even if Malinga doesn't play in the domestic tournament, he may yet be required to cut his IPL stint short in May, when Sri Lanka's World Cup squad assembles for a pre-tournament camp. Sri Lanka are expected to undertake several weeks of acclimatisation and training in Scotland, ahead of the World Cup in England and Wales.

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Lasith Malinga is likely to play at least two early-season games for Mumbai Indians in the IPL after the BCCI asked Sri Lanka Cricket to make the paceman available for as much of the tournament as possible.

ABOCcricinfo understands that Malinga is likely to be available for selection for Mumbai's next two matches, both away games - on March 28 against Royal Challengers Bangalore and on March 30 against Kings XI Punjab. Malinga is then likely to return to Sri Lanka to feature in the Super Provincial One-Day Tournament before rejoining Mumbai after April 10.

SLC and its selectors had earlier insisted that only players who participate in the weeklong one-day competition would be eligible for selection to the World Cup squad. They had also named Malinga captain of the Galle team for that tournament.

"Anyway he has been one of our best bowlers in one dayers, so there's no question about his place in the team"

ASHANTHA DE MEL, SRI LANKA'S CHIEF SELECTOR

But a call from the BCCI over the past three days has prompted SLC to climb down from their position. Not only does SLC heavily depend on India tours for broadcast income, the board is also hoping for BCCI support for the Lankan Premier League franchise tournament, which is tentatively slated for September.

Malinga is expected to travel to Sri Lanka from South Africa first, and then travel to India to join Mumbai. Once the SLC confirms the dates for the domestic ODI tournament (it is tentatively scheduled for April 4-11), Malinga will return home and then rejoin Mumbai post the Super Provincial tournament.

In any case, his World Cup place should not be under threat, chief selector Ashantha de Mel said.

"We have no issues if he goes to IPL - the board had given him a no-objection certificate already, so he's free to go," said de Mel. "Anyway he has been one of our best bowlers in one dayers, so there's no question about his place in the team."

It was as recently as on Friday, however, that SLC CEO Ashley de Silva had stated that participation in the domestic tournament was likely to be essential for World Cup selection.

Although the board has now loosened its grip on Malinga, there is at least one SLC official who feels Malinga had used his connections in India to put pressure on SLC to release him for the IPL. In past years, Malinga has generally prioritised commitments for Mumbai Indians over domestic tournaments.

The latest news will buoy Mumbai, who had already lost Adam Milne to injury. Ahead of their IPL opener - which Mumbai went on to lose to Delhi Capitals - coach Mahela Jayawardene had said about Malinga's involvement: "The tournament in Sri Lanka is for four or five days in April. So till that time there is availability and when we got in at the auction, Sri Lanka Cricket gave us his availability schedule, so obviously that tournament wasn't a part of that. So there is a conversation to be made, once we get through that conversation, we will let you know what's exactly happening."

Regardless of what happens at the IPL or at the Super Provincial event, Malinga may be forced to cut his time with Mumbai short towards the end of the IPL, as Sri Lanka gear up for the 2019 World Cup. At present, there are plans to do several weeks of training in Scotland, just before the World Cup, which will be played in England and Wales.