Sri Lanka cricket (SLC) today announced that Lasith Malinga has been released to play in the semi-finals of the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL) in Australia.

In a media statement the SLC said the national coaching staff and the national selectors decided to release Malinga to play in the Big Bash because he had shown a tremendous improvement in his fitness levels during the training programme.

The Management of the Melbourne Stars had written to the SLC requesting that Malinga be released to play in the semi-final on February 4.

SLC had last week asked Malinga and Ajantha Mendis to return to Sri Lanka to undergo an intense training programme.(DS)