Lasith Malinga out of IPL, James Pattinson replaces Sri Lanka legend for Mumbai Indians

The Sri Lanka great is the top wicket-taker in the tournament’s history, having made his debut in the competition in 2009, but has made himself unavailable for personal reasons

Lasith Malinga has been ruled out of this year’s Indian Premier League, with Mumbai Indians signing James Pattinson to replace him.

The Sri Lanka great is the top wicket-taker in the tournament’s history, having made his debut in the competition in 2009, but has made himself unavailable for personal reasons.

The franchise announced on Wednesday that he had opted to “be with family back home in Sri Lanka”. Malinga played a key role in 2019 as Mumbai won their fourth title; he bowled the final over to give his side a one-run victory over Chennai Super Kings in last year’s final.

Pattinson, meanwhile, has never played an IPL match. However, he will join his squad in Abu Dhabi over the weekend.

“James is the right fit for us and adds to our pace attack options available at hand especially for the conditions we will play in this season,” said team owner Akash Ambani.

“Lasith is a legend and a pillar of Mumbai Indians’ strength. There is no denying the fact that we will miss Lasith's cricketing acumen this season. However, we fully understand Lasith's need to be in Sri Lanka with his family during this time.”

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