Sanath Jayasuriya appointed Head Coach of Sri Lanka Men's Team after interim role
Published - 07 Oct 2024, 12:28 PM | Updated - 07 Oct 2024, 11:35 PM
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has officially appointed former cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya as the head coach of the men's national cricket team. The cricket board made the decision on Sanath Jayasuriya's appointment as the head coach after the national cricket team's success in recent months across the formats.
Jayasuriya was appointed as interim coach for the Sri Lanka men's team after Chris Silverwood resigned from his position. Silverwood submitted his resignation following Sri Lanka's disappointing performance in the 2024 T20 World Cup, where the team suffered a group stage exit under Wanindu Hasaranga.
Sanath Jayasuriya Appointed As Head Coach Of Sri Lanka National Team
The SLC took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to announce the appointment of Sanath Jayasuriya as the head coach of the national team. The statement added that this decision was made by the Executive Committee after assessing his tenure as interim head coach.
"Sri Lanka Cricket wishes to announce the appointment of Sanath Jayasuriya as the head coach of the national team," the statement read.
"The Executive Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket made this decision taking into consideration the team’s good performances in the recent tours against India, England, and New Zealand, where Jayasuriya was in charge as the ‘interim head coach.’
The 55-year-old served as the interim coach during the series against India, England, and New Zealand. His official appointment as head coach started on October 1 and will last until March 31, 2026, as announced by Sri Lanka Cricket.
"The appointment came into effect on October 1, 2024, and will remain until March 31, 2026," the statement added.
Sri Lanka Cricket wishes to announce the appointment of Sanath Jayasuriya as the head coach of the national team.
— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) October 7, 2024
The Executive Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket made this decision taking into consideration the team’s good performances in the recent tours against India, England,… pic.twitter.com/IkvAIJgqio
Sanath Jayasuriya Guided Sri Lanka To Series Victory Over India
Jayasuriya's coaching tenure started on a challenging note with a 0-3 loss to India at home. There were positive takeaways from the series defeat as Sri Lanka came close to winning some matches. They bounced back impressively in the subsequent ODI series against India and secured a 2-0 victory.
The Dhananjaya de Silva-led team lost the first two Test matches in an away three-match series in England. However, the visiting team showed fighting spirit in the last and final Test match. They secured a victory against England, led by Ollie Pope, at the Oval to end the Test series on a high note.
New Sri Lanka Head Coach's First Assignment Against West Indies
Jayasuriya previously served as the chief selector for the Sri Lankan cricket team before receiving a two-year ban under the ICC's anti-corruption code. He was appointed as a cricket consultant for one year in December.
The former cricketer will start his first assignment as head coach with the upcoming limited-overs matches against the West Indies in Dambulla and Pallekele. Sri Lanka will play three T20I matches and as many ODIs during the upcoming home series against the West Indies.
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