At first look, the similarity is uncanny. When Duvin Malinga started bowling in the Mumbai Indians New York nets on the sidelines of the Major League Cricket, it was clear that he shared more than just the surname with his illustrious father, Lasith, who wowed the world with a slinging action. One which made him one of the most lethal fast bowlers to come out of his country. His son Duvin has now shown a similar action. In a video posted by Mumbai Indians on their Instagram account, Malinga can be seen overseeing his son's progress. He had a suggestion too. "Natural action. He needs to bowl straight and fast. If he beats that, he can learn the skills," Malinga said.
Watch: Lasith Malinga 2.0 In The Making? Sri Lanka Great's Son Bowls With Similar Action
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When Duvin Malinga started bowling in the Mumbai Indians New York nets on the sidelines of the Major League Cricket, it was clear that he shared more than just the surname with his illustrious father, Lasith.
Lasith Malinga's son Duvin bowling at the MI New York's nets.© Instagram
During the IPL 2023, Malinga, who is also a bowling consultant with Rajasthan Royals (RR) and had dominated the Indian Premier League (IPL) for many years, praised Chennai Super Kings' death-overs specialist Matheesha Pathirana and said that he wants CSK pacer to be better than him at bowling.
CSK has discovered a jewel in Pathirana. The youngster is a rising star, and the manner he has been weaving his spell around cricket fans all around the world has been nothing short of a spectacular thing. The young pacer has been frequently likened to Lasith Malinga, one of the greatest bowlers Sri Lanka have ever produced.
"I somehow want to make this guy even better than me. I think in the next Test tour, try to get him involved, and give him some ODIs as well. See how he plays in the next three years, and then see what the future course needs to be. If he plays 10 or 15 Tests in the next three years, that will be invaluable to his development," Malinga told ESPNcricinfo.
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