Sri Lanka Cricket extends Sanath Jayasuriya’s term as interim head coach

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announced today (September 29) that the interim head coach of the men’s national cricket team, Sanath Jayasuriya, will continue in the role for another year.

Sanath Jayasuriya, a former captain of Sri Lanka, was first appointed as interim head coach on July 7, 2024.

SLC made this temporary appointment while searching for a permanent replacement for former head coach Chris Silverwood.

Chris Silverwood, along with consultant coach Mahela Jayawardene, resigned after Sri Lanka’s poor performance in the T20 World Cup, which was held in the USA and West Indies.

Under the captaincy of Wanindu Hasaranga, Sri Lanka did not make it to the Super 8 stage, leading to the need for major coaching changes.

Since taking over as interim coach, Jayasuriya has had some successes. In August, Sri Lanka won a 2-0 One Day International (ODI) series against India, after a tough T20 series.

Although the team lost a series against England 2-1, they achieved a notable victory at The Oval, which strengthened Jayasuriya’s chances of becoming the permanent coach.

Currently, Sri Lanka is leading 1-0 in the ongoing series against New Zealand, with the possibility of winning the two-match series 2-0.