World Cup 2019: Jasprit Bumrah is a quick learner, says Lasith Malinga

Jasprit Bumrah celebrates the wicket of Bangladesh skipper Mustafizur Rahman on Tuesday. Pic/AFP

Leeds: Cricket fans in Mumbai will be excited when Sri Lankan pace ace Lasith Malinga runs in to bowl to India opener Rohit Sharma at Headingley here on Saturday. The burly Sri Lankan is popular there due to his time with the Mumbai Indians.

Malinga, who has claimed 12 wickets in six matches in the World Cup, will be raring to go for one last time in the tournament against India as Sri Lanka play their last match before flying home.

By his own admission, Malinga feels his body is lacking the power it once had, but he is trying to control the game with his skills. Malinga spoke to mid-day yesterday on the sidelines of the team's practice session, about his future in ODI cricket, the rapid rise of Jasprit Bumrah and their Saturday clash against India.

Excerpts:

What are your plans after the World Cup?
I just want to meet the Sri Lankan cricket board and discuss with them what they expect from me. We have to play the 2020 T20 World Cup qualifying round. It is very crucial for us to play in the T20 World Cup. I am looking forward to playing in that tournament. I don't think I will make any decision on my ODI career without meeting the board.

Lasith Malinga

Bumrah credits the time spent with you at Mumbai Indians for his skills...
Anyone can find skillful bowlers. Yes, anyone can bowl slower balls, yorkers and good length [deliveries]. But they have to be talented. Talented means to be accurate. How many times he can be consistent? When players have these two things [talent and accuracy], then they can analyse their
game. After that, they will know this is what I can do and know how to handle situations. Then, they can apply themselves in the match.

Are you surprised by Bumrah's rapid progress?
I am not surprised at all. I have been with him since 2013 [at Mumbai Indians]. He is really hungry to learn and he learnt quickly. He understands things very quickly. When you have these qualities, then anyone can do well. [His rapid progress] shows Jasprit's character.

Do you think Bumrah will break several bowling records?
Records are just numbers. Anyone can beat those numbers. At the end of the day, you have to be happy. If he is a match-winning bowler, results or records don't matter. That's the way a bowler should think. When the team wins, your achievements are behind you. You don't need to run behind achievements.

How are you viewing the clash against India?
We are not thinking about the opposition. We are looking at our performance and skills. We can't change what we have learnt. We have to bowl whether the batsman is a left-hander or right-hander. You have to bowl according to that [our skills] and not whether it is Rishabh Pant or David Warner.

You make it sound so simple...
Cricket is a simple game. It is about being accurate.

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