Lasith Malinga likely to miss England tour due to 'substantial injury'

Not just Mumbai Indians but Sri Lanka will also have to do without Lasith Malinga after the country's medical team termed his knee issue a 'substantial injury'.

The pacer, who is still recovering from the knee injury he sustained during Sri Lanka's home series against West Indies last year, is likely to be ruled out of Sri Lanka's tour to England in June. The Asian team are set to play three Tests and seven ODIs in England (Two one-dayers against Ireland).

Sri Lanka Cricket medical committee chairman Harindu Wijesinghe said that it would be difficult to put a time frame on the pacer's recovery. However, he ruled out
the need for a surgery but said the pacer needed rest and periodic assessment.

"Malinga is suffering from a stress reaction in the knee. This has been caused by pressure being put on the knee. There is a chance that a stress reaction could worsen to a stress fracture, at which point he would need surgery," he said.

"A few doctors have been advising Malinga, and we feel that he needs to rest his knee, while undergoing physiotherapy and strengthening. Only after seeing how the injury reacts to this, will we be able to say how long he might be unavailable. It might be a number of months before we decide to scan and test him again. It's difficult to put a time frame on his recovery," Wijesinghe added.