Mumbai Indians fast pitcher Lasith Malinga, the biggest wicket catcher in the IPL, withdrew from the 2020 season in the United Arab Emirates due to personal reasons. Australia’s fast bowler James Pattinson, who has yet to play an IPL game, has been named as his replacement.
Malinga’s father is known to have been ill and may require surgery in the coming weeks. Since Malinga wanted to be with her father at their home in Sri Lanka, she chose not to travel with the team from Mumbai to Abu Dhabi last month. It was believed that he would bond with the team during the league’s commercial finale, but now Malinga has pulled out of the entire tournament, which will run from September 19 to November 10.
“Lasith is a legend and a pillar of MI’s strength,” Mumbai owner Akash Ambani said, according to the franchise’s website. “There is no denying the fact that we will miss Lasith’s acumen for cricket this season. However, we fully understand Lasith’s need to be in Sri Lanka with his family during this time.”
Ambani also welcomed Pattinson to the setup, saying that he was the “right one” for them. While Mumbai has Jasprit Bumrah and New Zealander Trent Boult to lead the pace attack, they could still miss out on Malinga’s vast experience. He is the second most wicket-taker player in T20 cricket, behind Dwayne Bravo, and has consistently delivered in the Mumbai crisis.
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In the 2013 IPL final, Malinga eliminated Mike Hussey with a perfect yorker in the first over of the chase and then eliminated Suresh Raina for an upcoming duck ball as Mumbai secured its first title. In the 2015 final, also against Chennai Super Kings, Malinga threw 18 to MS Dhoni to help Mumbai to their second title. Most recently, in 2019, Malinga nailed his trademark slower-diving yorker to catch Shardul Thakur from the final ball and close out an unprecedented fourth IPL title for Mumbai.
“At that stage [in the last over]”I wanted to go with experience because Malinga has been in that situation before a million times,” said Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma after the narrow victory.
By contrast, Pattinson has yet to make his IPL debut, although he has been part of the Kolkata Knight Riders franchise in the past. In total, he has played just 39 T20 games, taking 47 wickets at an average of 24.12 and an economy rate of 8.25.
Pattinson, however, has recent form on his side. In the Big Bash League (BBL) earlier this year, the 30-year-old claimed his career best 5 of 33 for the Brisbane Heat against the Adelaide Strikers at the Gabba. In that game, he worked at a good pace and outplayed both Jake Weatherald and Travis Head. In total, he played six games in the 2019-20 BBL, picking up nine wickets at an economic rate of 7.97.
Pattinson is not part of the Australian team currently on tour in the UK. Having suffered multiple injuries, he last played in an international white ball game in September 2015, but has returned to the test side. Pattinson was in action at the New Years Test against New Zealand at the SCG.
When he joins Mumbai for the weekend, he’s ready to join his Australian compatriot Nathan Coulter-Nile. Chris Lynn will join the Mumbai camp after finishing his season in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) with the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots. The defending champions Mumbai are expected to play last year’s runners-up, the Super Kings in the first IPL match.
Mumbai Indians Squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Sherfane Rutherford, Suryakumar Yadav, Anmolpreet Singh, Chris Lynn, Saurabh Tiwary, Dhawal Kulkarni, Jasprit Bumrah, Mitchell McClenaghan, Rahul Chahar, Trent Boult, Mohsin Khan, Prince Balwant Rai Singh, Jayant Yadavay, Digvhijadavay Kieron Pollard, Krunal Pandya, Anukul Roy, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Ishan Kishan, Quinton de Kock, Aditya Tare, James Pattinson
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