Sri Lanka Cricket appointed former captain Sanath Jayasuriya as the head coach of the men’s cricket team, effective October 1, 2024, with his tenure lasting until March 31, 2026. His appointment follows the team’s impressive performances against India, England, and New Zealand.
Sri Lanka Cricket announced the decision, citing the team’s successful recent tours where Jayasuriya acted as interim head coach. “The Executive Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket made this decision taking into consideration the team’s good performances,” the statement read.
Jayasuriya’s first assignment as head coach will be the upcoming limited-overs matches against the West Indies, set to take place in Dambulla and Pallekele.
The former explosive batter previously served as a consultant for Sri Lanka Cricket and took on the role of interim head coach in July after English coach Chris Silverwood departed following a challenging period that included a disappointing T20 World Cup.
Under Jayasuriya’s leadership, Sri Lanka further achieved significant milestones, winning their first bilateral ODI series against India in 27 years, defeating England in a Test match away from home for the first time in a decade, and recently securing a 2-0 victory over New Zealand in home Tests.
From 1991 to 2007, Jayasuriya played 110 Test matches, scoring 6,973 runs at an average of 40.07, including 14 centuries and 31 fifties. In ODIs, he accumulated 13,430 runs at an average of 32.36, with 28 hundreds and 68 half-centuries, playing a vital role in Sri Lanka’s 1996 ODI World Cup triumph.
