Lanka Premier League 2020: 'If I don't get yorkers right, people will say I bowl yorkers in IPL but not in LPL', says Lasith Malinga

Sri Lanka T20 skipper Lasith Malinga has hit out at people who have criticized him for withdrawing from the Lanka Premier League (LPL), saying that the world knows what he has done for his country.

Malinga added that if he were to somehow play the LPL and fail to perform, then they would be saying that he performs only in the Indian Premier League (IPL) but not in the LPL.

Lasith Malinga was slated to be part of the Galle Gladiators franchise in LPL 2020. However, he announced his withdrawal from the tournament last week citing lack of time for preparation.

The 37-year-old has now responded to the criticism he has received from various corners about pulling out of the LPL.

“If I fail to bowl yorkers in the LPL, people will say you can bowl yorkers in the IPL and not in the LPL. No matter what you achieve, sometimes you have to take the criticism too. The world knows what I have done for my country. The people who love me know it too. That is enough for me,” Malinga told Newswire.

Check out: Full schedule, squads and channel list for LPL 2020

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— Lanka Premier League (@LPLt20official) November 23, 2020

I practice bowling a yorker about a thousand times before bowling it in a match: Lasith Malinga

Lasith Malinga said that preparation for a cricket match was not just about working out in the gym. He explained how bowling in the nets was a vital part of the preparation for an encounter.

“Some will wonder why lack of preparation is a problem for someone who has played so much cricket. You can’t do this by just preparing in your gym at home. Before I bowl a yorker in a match, I practice bowling that delivery about a thousand times. It is not something that happens by accident,” Malinga said.

The fast bowler felt that his time in the game was coming to an end and said he was ready to help the youngsters making it to the national side.

Lasith Malinga also hoped that LPL would become a platform for a lot of youngsters to showcase their talent. LPL 2020 is scheduled to begin at Hambantota on November 26.

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— Lanka Premier League (@LPLt20official) November 22, 2020