MI will miss Lasith Malinga on their first match

Mumbai Indians will miss the services of their Sri Lankan pace spearhead Lasith Malinga in their opening Indian Premier League match against Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Chinnaswamy Stadium tomorrow.

Mumbai Indians will miss the services of their Sri Lankan pace spearhead Lasith Malinga in their opening Indian Premier League match against Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Thursday.

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Malinga, who has been MI attack's mainstay over the past five editions, is suffering from a sore back which he sustained during Sri Lanka's recent limited overs series against Bangladesh.

Malinga's last competitive match was against Bangladesh during the T20 international at Pallekele.

"Malinga will miss the first match of this season due to the on-going treatment for sore back. He was scheduled to join MI camp in Bangalore yesterday but now he will only join the squad in Mumbai for the team's first home match," an MI official informed on Wednesday.

In Malinga's absence, Munaf Patel, Nathan Coultier-Nile and Mitchell Johnson are likely to lead the bowling attack.