Will Sri Lanka Cricket ban Lasith Malinga for refusing to sign contract?

Lasith Malinga may be banned from the Sri Lankan team as he refused to sign a contract with the Sri Lankan cricket board. The cricketer didn’t sign the contract citing low payments as the reason, Zee News reported on Wednesday.

The report also said that the Sri Lankan Government is considering temporary bans on national sportspersons who refuse to represent Sri Lanka at a point in time.

Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage was quoted by Zee News, “"We are having issues mostly in cricket and rugby where national team players often refuse to represent the country when the national team has a scheduled tour and at times opt to play for some other event. So we are now looking at bringing in amendments to the sports law to allow sporting bodies to temporarily ban such players."

The slingy fast bowler was named amongst the players who were offered contracts. Such a contract would prevent him from playing in tournaments such as the Indian Premier League (IPL), i.e. if it clashes with a Sri Lankan assignment.

Malinga Toe Crushers :)

ICC T20 World Cup Event Ambassador Malinga

he International Cricket Council has chosen Sri Lanka's star pacer Lasith Malinga as the official event ambassador for the World T20

ICC picks Malinga to promote World T20

NEW DELHI: The International Cricket Council on Friday named Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga as the event ambassador for the World Twenty20 to be held in the island nation later this year.

The explosive fast bowler with the sling-arm action is expected to play a key role in Sri Lanka’s fortunes in the 12-nation event starting on September 18.

Malinga will be the “face” of the World Twenty20 advertising campaign in the host nation and will promote the event globally, the ICC said in a statement.

“His distinct, stylish and colourful personality is synonymous with the intensity of Twenty20 cricket,” the governing body added.

Malinga, 28, who gave up Test cricket last year to prolong his limited-overs career, said he was “honoured” to play a part in the first World Twenty20 to be hosted by an Asian nation.

“I sincerely thank the ICC for giving Sri Lanka the opportunity to host an event of this magnitude and I invite all cricket fans to show their support and unite in the spirit of the game,” he said.

Malinga is the only bowler to have taken four wickets off successive deliveries in international cricket, achieving the feat against South Africa in the 2007 50-over World Cup in the Caribbean.
He is also the only bowler to have claimed three one-day international hat-tricks.
Malinga has taken 101 wickets in 30 Tests, 186 wickets in 118 one-dayers and 40 wickets in 32 Twenty20 internationals.
England will defend the title at the fourth edition of the World Twenty20, having won the 2010 event in the Caribbean. India (2007) and Pakistan (2009) won the first two editions.

Two-year ban on players who refuse Sri Lanka Cricket contracts

Sri Lanka's sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage said that his ministry will impose a ban on athletes who do not sign contracts with national sport bodies.

The minister referred to Lasith Malinga as the reason for this new policy.

"I am a great follower of fast bowler Lasith Malinga but that does not mean that I condone all his actions," Aluthgamage told Sri Lanka's Sunday Times newspaper.

"We have taken the cue from Malinga. In future, if sportspersons who are performing at national level fail to sign their central contracts with their specific sports bodies we will slap a two-year ban on them."

"This is a trend that we must nip in the bud. I find fault with the administrators for not getting tough on the players," the minister added.

"For instance, in the contract it is stipulated that a cricketer must be in the country at least two weeks prior to a tour. But, most of the cricketers who were engaged in the IPL returned to the island only a few days before the Pakistan tour. Yet, the SLC officials have not taken any action against anyone. As I understand, most of them still even have not signed their central contracts. That’s bad.

“However, in the future, sportspersons engaged in any discipline at national level and do not sign the central contract will face the two-year ban."

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) cannot present new contracts to players this year, as they have been unable to honour contract payments from the previous contract period. The dire financial crisis at SLC has meant that the cricket board still owes players several months in back pay.

Aluthgamage is yet to initiate any investigation into the conduct of government-appointed cricket board officials who left SLC in nearly US$ 70 million in debt after co-hosting the World Cup last year.

Furthermore, the cricket board also earns a significant sum from their Indian counterparts for allowing Sri Lankan players to participate in India's T20 tournament - the IPL.

Malinga told Island Cricket in April that the Sri Lankan media, who claimed he had refused to sign a contract, had got it wrong.Interestingly, Malinga told Island Cricket in April that the Sri Lankan media, who claimed he had refused to sign a contract, had got it wrong. According to the Sri Lankan paceman, he has not been offered a contract to refuse.

"No contracts have been offered yet for this year for any of the players," Malinga said.

"But whether I decide to play with or without [a] contract, does not really matter as I am still 100-percent available for selection for all ODI and T20 commitments for Sri Lanka just like I was last year."

Although there was no outcry or opposition from Sri Lankan journalists, the sports ministry or SLC officials last year; Malinga played as a non-contracted player from March 2011 to February 2012.

In addition, SLC intends on introducing a clause in their new contracts that prevents non-contracted players from using any of SLC facilities, including SLC-owned gyms and nets.

© Island Cricket

Malinga, Jayawardene and Siriwardena at the 100-day countdown ceremony for WT20

ICC World Twenty20 2012 event ambassador Lasith Malinga, Sri Lankan cricket captain Mahela Jayawardene (2L) and Pakistan Twenty20 cricket captain Mohammad Hafeez (2R) and Sri Lanka T20 women’s team captain Shashikala Siriwardena (R) pose for photographers during an event to mark the 100 day countdown to the ICC World Twenty20 2012, at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele, on June 10, 2012. AFP PHOTO/ LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI

Malinga the mascot for T20 World Cup

With his distinctive hairstyles and sling-shot bowling action Lasith Malinga is one of the most marketable cricketers in Sri Lanka. Add to that his success in the Twenty20 format – he's third in the all-time list of T20 wicket-takers and has just come off a successful IPL season – and it's a no-brainer that the ICC has made him the event ambassador for the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka this September. “Lasith is a special player and one of the most recognisable cricketers in the world. Whenever he runs in to bowl with his distinctive action there is a thrill in the game,” it said.

Malinga’s rise to stardom from a fishing village has made him a role model for several young cricketers – more so in a cricketing culture that, like the Twenty20 format, embraces unorthodoxy. As the face of the tournament, he'll be a popular choice – just don't ask the batsmen!

Sanga with his wife and family

Kumar Chokshanada Sangakkara was born to Kumari and Chokshanada Sangakkara at Matale in 1977. Sangakkara received his primary and secondary education at Trinity College, Kandy, a private boys' school. He played both cricket and tennis at school and the school's principal, Leonard de Alwis, advised his mother he should concentrate on cricket

On 30 June 2009 Sangakkara's wife gave birth to twins, a girl and boy

Sri Lanka ease to T20 win over Pakistan

HAMBANTOTA, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka put on a brilliant bowling and fielding performance to post a comfortable 37-run victory over Pakistan in their opening Twenty20 international on Friday.
Pakistan were bowled out for 95, their lowest T20 total against Sri Lanka, after restricting the hosts to 132-7 in Hambantota.
Sri Lankan pacemen Nuwan Kulasekera, Angelo Mathews and Lasith Malinga and debutant off-spinner Sachithra Senanayake took two wickets apiece after man-of-the-match Thisara Perera scored a crucial 32 not out.

Opener Ahmed Shehzad top-scored for Pakistan with 36 while the extras contributed 19 runs, the second-highest of the innings. Umar Akmal (12) was the other batsman to reach double-figures.
Pakistan never recovered after losing two wickets off the first two balls of the innings, with Kulasekera removing skipper Mohammad Hafeez and debutant Shakeel Ansar.

The Sri Lankan bowlers were backed by their fielders, with Perera and Kulasekera each taking a superb catch.

"The fielding was brilliant and all the bowlers did well. It was a challenging wicket and we did not assess it well when we batted," said Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene.

Left-arm paceman Sohail Tanvir earlier grabbed three big wickets as Pakistan restricted Sri Lanka.
He jolted the top order when he dismissed Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara in his opening three overs to reduce the hosts to 31-3.

Tanvir finished with 3-12 off four tight overs, his best performance in Twenty20 internationals, while off-spinner Saeed Ajmal bagged two wickets for 20 runs.

"Perera made the difference," said Pakistan captain Hafeez.
"We had our moments but couldn't capitalise on them. Tanvir was brilliant and the spinners did the job. I feel we have to work and come hard in the next game."
Perera smashed two sixes and as many fours in his 16-ball knock to help his team make 43 runs off the last 22 balls.
Lahiru Thirimanne, making his T20 debut, was the other main scorer with a 25-ball 30.
Sri Lanka made a poor start after electing to bat, losing four wickets in the opening eight overs with just 39 on the board.
Tanvir struck with his third delivery when he had Jayawardene caught by Shoaib Malik in the covers and then had Dilshan caught by Umar Gul at fine-leg in his next over.
Sangakkara (19) hit three successive fours off paceman Mohammad Sami before he inside-edged a Tanvir delivery onto his stumps.

The second and final Twenty20 match will be played on Sunday.

IPL 2012 Lasith Slinga Malinga , The Specialist of Yorkers

IPL 2012 Lasith Slinga Malinga , The Specialist of Yorkers

 

Sri Lanka Cricket to slash benefits given to Lasith Malinga

May 31, Colombo: Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) sources say that the authorities of SLC have decided to cut the benefits granted to fast bowler Lasith Malinga.

SLC has come to this decision since Malinga has declined to come to an agreement with the SLC. He was reportedly demanding a better remuneration package from SLC.

However, the SLC has not so far announced the decision.

If the SLC decision is implemented, Malinga will lose the insurance coverage, gymnasium facilities, medical and physiotherapy facilities and sports apparel etc. for which SLC bears a huge expense, sources say.