Sri Lanka pace bowler Lasith Malinga has agreed a deal to play for Middlesex in this season's Friends Life t20.
Malinga will miss the first three games against Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire as he is involved in Sri Lanka's one-day and Twenty20 series against Pakistan.
But he is available for the remaining seven group games, starting with the match against Essex at Lord's on June 21.
Malinga currently leads the Indian Premier League with 20 wickets for Mumbai Indians and following that tournament he travels to Sri Lanka for two Twenty20 games and five one-day internationals against Pakistan before joining Middlesex.
Angus Fraser, Middlesex's managing director of cricket, said: "We are all naturally thrilled about the prospect of a player of Lasith's talent coming to the club.
"In t20 cricket every county is looking for a bowler that provides their attack with variety, the ability to bowl during powerplays and at the death, basically something different from the norm and in Lasith we will have the best in the world.
"In 2011 we had a disappointing t20 campaign and we are looking for the players to react positively and improve on last season's performances this summer.
"The addition of Lasith can only help us achieve this goal."
