Gayle, Malinga drop out of Sri Lanka T20 league.

Big-hitting West Indies star Chris Gayle, South Africa s Faf du Plessis and Sri Lanka s Twenty20 skipper Lasith Malinga are among the big names that have withdrawn from the Lanka Premier League tournament, officials and reports said Thursday. Gayle, slanted to be the top attraction in the 23- match T20 league starting on November 26, told the Kandy Tuskers he was pulling out due to an injury, a source close to the team told media. "Close associates" of Malinga meanwhile told local media that the veteran paceman was not match-fit. "For the last eight months he has not had any practice and therefore he is unable to take part in the LPL without proper training," the ThePapare.com website reported, quoting an associate of the 37-year-old. Strict quarantine restrictions meant all players for the

five teams were to join a "bio-secure bubble" at a hotel in the island s south by Thursday. Sri Lanka Cricket officials told media, du Plessis said he...