Sri Lankan cricketer Lasith Malinga paid tribute to former president and accused war criminal Mahinda Rajapaksa in a farewell speech last week, after he announced his retirement from One Day International cricket.
“I was able to play cricket longer than expected only because of President Mahinda Rajapaksa,” Malinga told the crowd at the Ranasinghe Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. “I am forever grateful for his help.”
He also credited Rajapaksa for introducing him to a doctor that helped with an injury he suffered. “If not for this, I would not have continued playing,” he said.
In 2013, Tamil Guardian bumped into Malinga whilst he was on tour in London. See the encounter below.
We need your support
Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.
Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view
We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.
For more ways to donate visit https://donate.tamilguardian.com.
