Sri Lanka cricket authorities on Sunday warned injured fast bowler Lasith Malinga against playing in the lucrative Indian Premier League without clearance from them, and recalled him for a medical check-up on Wednesday.

Malinga, who suffered a knee injury which forced him out of the World T20, left for India. He has signed with the Mumbai Indians for the IPL.

However, the veteran fast-bowler is yet to play a match in this season's IPL.

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said Malinga needed its clearance to play in any IPL matches and must return to Colombo for a fitness assessment on Wednesday before any IPL appearances.

“We have no problem with Malinga travelling to Mumbai to be with his IPL team,” the spokeswoman for SLC president Thilanga Sumathipala told AFP. “But in order to play, he must get a NOC (no objection certificate) from SLC.”

“Malinga has not informed Sri Lanka Cricket of his travel to India nor his intention to play in the IPL,” she said.

After Wednesday’s fitness assessment, “the board will decide what course of action should be taken”.

Malinga is the IPL's all-time highest wicket taker and is considered to be an invaluable member of the Sri Lanka cricket team. He retired from Test cricket in 2010 due to repeated injury issues.

(With inputs from AFP)