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Sri Lanka's Malinga vows to improve against Bangladesh

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Lasith Malinga has promised to improve his own performances as he prepares to lead out Sri Lanka against hosts Bangladesh in Sunday's Asia Cup meeting in Dhaka.

Sri Lanka began their campaign with an unconvincing 14-run success over minnows UAE on Thursday, the skipper taking 4-26 from his four overs as his side defended a moderate score of 129.

Victory against Bangladesh will ensure Sri Lanka keep pace with favourites and table leaders India, who rolled Pakistan out for 83 en route to a five-wicket success on Saturday.

Malinga - who has hinted at his retirement after the upcoming World Twenty20 - was not impressed with his own display against UAE, despite strong figures, and claims his team deserve more from their leader.

"I am not happy," he said. "I haven't bowled a single ball in the last three months. I just bowled in the nets in the last two days. I am happy with the result but I think I have to do more for the team.

"I will try my best in the next game. [This performance] is not my 100 per cent, maybe 60-70 per cent, but still I managed to bowl yorkers and slower balls. The team expects more than that from me.

"I had a very bad injury in the knee. The same thing happened in 2008. I needed two years rest to recover. I had the same injury in the other leg. This is not the right time to rest since we have the World T20.

"I am the experienced bowler in the T20 format. I have to use painkillers and injections, whatever I have to do [to play]. This is the end of my career so I want to do something for the team. I want to give my best in the last few years or maybe few months."

Bangladesh, meanwhile, opened the tournament with a 45-run defeat at the hands of India, before skittling UAE for just 82 in winning by 51 runs on Friday.

The hosts were grateful for Mahmudullah's 36 from 27 balls at the end of the innings to propel them beyond the 130 mark, and captain Mashrafe Mortaza says the all-rounder has become a key component of the side.

"[Mahmudullah] is a very important player and always he knows his role very well," Mashrafe said. "Sometimes when the team is under pressure, he goes to bat for us. When you can't play your best, then everybody talks about it. So his job is very difficult.

"Hopefully he can continue in this way. We have collapsed in similar situations in the past, So we are trying, we have discussed about how we can stay at the wicket."

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