ST GEORGE’S, April 11: Lasith Malinga, the leading bowler at the World Cup, has been ruled out of Sri Lanka's Super Eights clash against New Zealand here on Thursday with an ankle injury.

Malinga, who missed practice on Tuesday, trained at the Grenada National Stadium on Wednesday and bowled just three deliveries at reduced pace. He was then seen sitting in the stand with his left ankle heavily strapped.

Afterwards Sri Lanka team manager Michael Tissera said: “He won't play tomorrow (Thursday). He's very keen to play but we've told him 'no'. He's torn a ligament.

“He suffered the injury on Monday and we sent him to Jamaica for a scan because we couldn't do it here.

“Hopefully, he will be fit for the Australia or Ireland games (on April 16 and 18 in Grenada respectively).”

Malinga, whose distinctive slingy action makes him difficult to face, tops the tournament bowling averages with 15 wickets at an average of under 15 apiece.

Against South Africa, in a Super Eights match in Guyana last month, he became the first bowler to take four wickets in four balls in an international fixture.

Farveez Maharoof or Nuwan Kulasekera, both right-arm pace bowlers, are the leading contenders to take the Malinga’s place.

New Zealand left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori, speaking before Malinga was ruled out, said his side would be delighted if the fast bowler was missing.

“Do you see the smile on my face? I think we'll all be comfortable with that,” Vettori said.

But he said there were other members of the Sri Lanka attack who commanded respect: “They've got a very strong bowling line-up and I think once you get a bowling line-up in one-day cricket you are ahead of the game.

“If they can use all those players particularly (Chaminda) Vaas, (Muttiah) Muralitharan and (Lasith) Malinga they are going to be dangerous.”—AFP