Sri Lanka Cricket Board appointed former opening batter Sanath Jayasuriya as the interim head coach of the national team. Jayasuriya stated that the board had approached him to replace Chris Silverwood, who resigned following the team’s poor performance at the T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies. Prior to this appointment, Jayasuriya had worked as a national team selector and was a consultant, overseeing the progress of players and coaches at the team’s High-Performance Center in Khettarama.
“I am delighted to accept the offer to assume the role of the coach,” Jayasuriya told AFP news.
The cricket board also announced the appointment. “Sri Lanka Cricket has appointed Sanath Jayasuriya as the ‘Interim Head Coach’ of the national team. Jayasuriya will serve in this role until the completion of Sri Lanka’s tour of England in September 2024.”
“Sanath, with his extensive amount of international cricketing experience, is well-suited to lead the national team, until we find a long-term option,” stated Mr. Ashley De Silva, CEO, Sri Lanka Cricket.
Jayasuriya will take over as head coach following the conclusion of the Lanka Premier League 2024. He will then lead the team for the limited-overs series against India in July-August, as well as the tour of England later that same month.
Sri Lanka‘s disappointing T20 World Cup campaign came to an early end as they managed just one victory in the group stage, failing to advance to the Super 8 round. The team finished third in Group C, trailing South Africa and Bangladesh who progressed to the next stage. In a statement, outgoing head coach Chris Silverwood cited a desire to spend more time with his family after over two years working with the Sri Lankan national team.
Sanath Jayasuriya’s extensive international experience and deep ties to Sri Lankan cricket will serve him well in his new role. Over the course of a storied career, Jayasuriya represented his country 586 times across all three formats, amassing 42 centuries and 440 wickets before playing his final international match in 2011.
