Jayasuriya to step down as head coach amid Sri Lanka's World Cup exit

By Cricketing Country | Posted Posted Mar 01, 2026

Sanath Jayasuriya has decided to step aside as head coach of Sri Lanka’s men’s cricket team following their narrow defeat to Pakistan national cricket team, a result that ended their World Cup campaign.

Although he has not yet formally notified Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), Jayasuriya revealed that he had already made up his mind before the tournament that it would be his final assignment in the role.

“I felt it was the right moment to hand over the responsibility to someone else,” Jayasuriya said. He explained that during the England series two months ago, he had hinted he did not intend to continue long-term.

“I had already taken the decision then. I hoped to finish on a high at the World Cup, but unfortunately that didn’t happen, which is disappointing.”

However, Jayasuriya stopped short of confirming an immediate departure. Sri Lanka are scheduled to tour Afghanistan for a limited-overs series starting March 13, though the tour remains uncertain due to tensions in the Middle East.

With his contract running until June, SLC may prefer him to remain in charge for that series. “My contract is valid until June,” he said. “I haven’t officially informed SLC yet. They are not aware that I’m planning to step down. I will have discussions with them. If they are able to appoint someone else, then certainly they should proceed.”

Jayasuriya assumed the coaching role shortly after the 2024 T20 World Cup and enjoyed early success. In August 2024, Sri Lanka secured their first bilateral ODI series win against India in 27 years.

A month later, they claimed a Test victory at The Oval before completing a 2-0 home Test series sweep over New Zealand. Reflecting on his tenure, Jayasuriya said he was proud of the team’s progress across formats.

When he took charge, Sri Lanka were ranked eighth or ninth in ODIs and had failed to qualify for the Champions Trophy. Under his guidance, the side climbed to fourth in the ODI rankings.

The Test team improved to sixth, while the T20 side also made gains in the standings. “I didn’t achieve this alone,” he said, crediting his support staff for their significant contribution.

Acknowledging his limited coaching experience at the outset, Jayasuriya said he relied heavily on his staff and his own playing background to manage the team effectively. Despite improvements in longer formats, Sri Lanka struggled in T20 cricket during the latter part of his tenure.

A particularly disappointing chapter was their early exit from a home T20 World Cup after four straight defeats.

The team also delivered underwhelming performances in the 2025 Asia Cup and a T20I tri-series in Pakistan last year.

Before becoming head coach, Jayasuriya had previously served two separate terms as Sri Lanka’s chief selector.