Malinga won't mind retiring if Lanka makes knockout stage

Guwahati: Sri Lanka captain Lasith Malinga won't mind walking into the sunset if his team qualifies for the knockout stage at this year's T20 World Cup in Australia.

The only bowler with 100 scalps in T20 Internationals, Malinga had said in March that could retire after the Twenty20 World Cup scheduled in October-November but later expressed his desire to play for another two years.

The pacer, known for his toe-crushing yorkers, said he wants to lead the 2014 T20 champions to at least the knock-out stage at the upcoming edition.

"I've already retired from Tests and ODIs. Now whatever is required for SL cricket. If they say it's enough for me now then I'll be really happy to retire from T20s also," Malinga said on the eve of the series-opener against India. "My only target is to play qualify round in the T20 World Cup. If Sri Lanka qualify for the knockouts, I would never mind retiring anytime after that,"

he added.