Sanath Jayasuriya moves to resign as Sri Lanka head coach after T20 World Cup failure; SLC eyes foreign replacement
Sanath Jayasuriya has announced his intention to step down as head coach of Sri Lanka following the team’s exit from the 2026 T20 World Cup at the Super 8 stage, where they suffered three consecutive defeats. The decision comes in the wake of yet another underwhelming ICC campaign for the 2014 champions. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is now in discussions with several foreign candidates as it begins the process of identifying his successor.
Jayasuriya had joined the national side as interim head coach in July 2024 before being handed the full-time role in October that year. His contract was set to run until June 2026, but the former captain has opted to step aside early after the team’s latest World Cup disappointment.
Despite a shock defeat to Zimbabwe in their final group-stage fixture, they progressed to the Super 8 phase, having earlier secured a notable win over Australia. However, the second round proved disastrous. Consecutive losses to England, New Zealand and Pakistan sealed their fate, extending Sri Lanka’s barren run in T20 World Cups. They have now failed to reach the semifinals in each of the five editions since lifting the trophy in 2014.
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The co-hosts came agonisingly close to ending their campaign on a high when Dasun Shanaka smashed a blistering unbeaten 76 off just 31 balls against Pakistan at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. Chasing 213, Sri Lanka fell short by five runs in a thrilling contest that summed up a tournament of missed opportunities.
Under Jayasuriya’s tenure, Sri Lanka played 76 international matches across formats, registering 34 victories for an overall win percentage of approximately 45 per cent.
SLC Chief Executive Officer Ashley de Silva confirmed to the Sunday Times that the board has initiated formal negotiations with overseas coaching candidates.
“We have been negotiating with a few foreign coaches,” de Silva said. “We cannot reveal their identities at this stage, but as soon as discussions are finalised, we will make a public announcement.”
Sri Lanka’s next assignment is a limited-overs series against Afghanistan in the UAE in mid-March.
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