Jayawardene quits as Twenty20 captain
Mahela Jayawardene has resigned as Sri Lanka’s Twenty20 captain, soon after his team lost the final of the World Twenty20 against West Indies in Colombo. He said he will remain captain of the ODI and Test teams until at least the end of Sri Lanka’s tour of Australia in January, and remains available for Twenty20 selection.
“I had a chat to the selectors before this tournament started. I was going to step down from T20 captaincy after this World Cup,” Jayawardene said. “I personally feel that for Sri Lanka going forward we need a younger leader. It’s a great opportunity for somebody to start in that T20 format. I’ve spoken to the selectors and they were quite happy with that choice.”
Vice captain Angelo Mathews has been groomed for captaincy over the past 18 months, and is the obvious candidate to take the reins in the shortest format.
Jayawardene, 35, had given up the captaincy in all formats in 2009, but resumed leadership when Tillkaratne Dilshan quit the post in January this year. In his second stint at the helm, Jayawardene has seen himself as an interim captain until the younger crop of Sri Lanka players are ready to step into leadership. In addition to Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara has also led the side in recent years, before resigning after Sri Lanka’s World Cup final loss in 2011.
“I took over till the Australia tour, so I’ll assess what I want to do after that,” Jayawardene said.
ESPN CricInfo
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Why didn’t he announce his retirement from the T20 format before the finals. He waited to lose the match and then tell the cricket board and the public.
His down fall will be the Reverse Sweep he plays and if you look back, most of the time he gets out by playing the reverse sweep. We would have lost the Final of the T20 and be happy as a Sri Lankan if he had played a normal cricketing stroke and got out.
APITA MATCH EPA KALA, NEVER SEE AGAIN
O Mahela, You are also responsible for the sad and the ignominious debacle of sacrificing our Name and Fame on a platter to the West Indians.Why not sacrifice your Captaincy in the other forms of the game?
You are a good player without decorations!
We are lankans, we should be proud and happy as we came to the finals. And became the world no:2. Mahela lead the team towards great hights, if anyone thinks he’s not the greatest captain in whole world I will be there to agrue.
I’m also sad with the results but if we don’t know how to tolerate we can’t do anything in our personal life as well.
I’m always with lankan team no matter what results they bring for us. We are Sri lankans.
Only cricket can take us to the world and I’m really proud to say louder that we are world no: 2.
Kudos!!!
Fellow SriLankans,
Don’t forget it is not who wins or looses it is about the spirit of the game that counts. Only one team can win a final. So don’t be so quick to blame Mahela or any one. THats how is goes and there is nothing we can do about it now. Marlon Samuals won the match for the Windies because he took a gamble and had a go at ot our fast bowlers. It worked for him. If you watched the match you would raelise that he just went on an all out attack on Malinga and the ball kept going out of the ground. Even the top edges. On the other hand Malinga lost the match but not through bad bowling. It was not his lucky day. I am still proud of our boys. We got to the finls so we are the second best. Not bad for a little Island in the Indian Ocean.
It was the Final. Mahela should have been more committed/determined to win it for SL, to make the nation proud, as the world’s No: 1 in 20-20 cricket. He made a big mistake in letting Malinda bowl again after his bowling was thrashed in his first over. I groaned when Malinda was allowed to bowl again 2 more overs. This fellow alone gave WI 53 runs and helped them to victory. If not for him we had the upper hand and the chance to win, as we did before against WI. Thnaks for going Mahela. Take Malinda also with you.
You have to be in a national team to see and feel the pressure.Thank You,Mahela.
Hi Nicholas,
Its nice to see tour comments again. I know how you feel as My familt and friends watched the match with so much hope an anticipation. We ahve been wiating for the trophyas wel but unfortunately it is how things work in a match. It is really hard in a final. Yes wew ewre so close to beeing he world champion and yet so far away. I also was wondering why Mailnga did not bowl his slower ball but lets give them the benefit of the doubt. I don’t think Mahela is such a guy. I think he is veryhonest guy but then again you can never say never in todays world.
I think that entering all new younger players to this short format is best rather than loosing cheaply with our veterans .