Sri Lankan legendary all-rounder Sanath Jayasuriya will now be the head of coach of his home side in full-time capacity after being in the same role on an interim basis since July this year. (More Cricket News)
The appointment came into effect on October 1, 2024, and will remain until March 31, 2026, as per Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). The ICC Men's T20 World Cup is scheduled for February-March 2026 in India and Sri Lanka.
"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," SLC said in a statement.
After getting ousted in the first round of the 2024 T20 World Cup, Sri Lanka have had some relatively good results. Jayasuriya took over from Chris Silverwood as the interim head coach after the T20 World Cup.
Under the 55-year-old, Sri Lanka defeated India in an ODI series for the first time in 27 years as they beat the Men In Blue 2-0 at home. The Asian side also did well in England under the legendary all-rounder. After losing the first two Tests, Sri Lanka bounced back in the third match to win their first Test in England in over a decade.
Sri Lanka also defeated New Zealand 2-0 in the two-Test series at home last month. An away win and the white-washing of New Zealand at home has put the island nation in contention of a place in the final of the World Test Championship.
Jayasuriya had been earlier associated with the Sri Lankan side as a chief selector. His first assignment as full-time coach of his home team will be against West Indies. The Caribbean side will be playing three T20Is in Sri Lanka, starting from October 13.
Jayasuriya, considered among the greatest players from Sri Lanka, played 110 Tests between 1991 and 2007, and scored 6973 runs at an average of 40.07, with the help of 14 centuries. In the 445 ODIs the left-hander played, he amassed 13,430 runs at an average of 32.36, with 28 hundreds and an ahead-of-his-time strike rate of 91.2.
A useful left-arm spinner, Jayasuriya is the fourth highest ODI wicket-taker from Sri Lanka with 323 wickets. He also has 98 Test scalps. The former Sri Lanka captain also was a key member of Sri Lanka's 1996 World Cup-winning side.
