Sanath Jayasuriya to step down as Sri Lanka head coach following disappointing T20 World Cup 2026 exit
Sanath Jayasuriya's exit will open the door for SLC to appoint a new head coach ahead of future assignments, including building toward the next major events.
Sanath Jayasuriya, the former Sri Lankan cricket legend, has announced his decision to step down as head coach of the Sri Lanka men's national team. This news came after the team's final Super Eights match of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, where they suffered a narrow defeat to Pakistan.
Sanath Jayasuriya's decision to step down
Sanath Jayasuriya made the revelation during the post-match press conference following Sri Lanka's loss in Pallekele. He clarified that his original contract ran until June 2026, but he has no plans to extend or continue beyond the current commitments. He hadn't formally informed the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) board earlier about his intentions to leave.
Notably, he will likely stay for the upcoming bilateral T20I and ODI series against Afghanistan, starting March 13 in Sharjah, depending on SLC's arrangements.
Strong start followed by struggles
Sanath Jayasuriya took charge soon after the 2024 T20 World Cup. His early days brought excitement and notable successes. Sri Lanka achieved their first bilateral ODI series win over India in 27 years in August 2024. They followed it with a memorable Test victory at The Oval in September that year, even though the series was lost overall. A 2-0 home Test series triumph against New Zealand further boosted his reputation. However, the past year saw a sharp decline. England swept them 3-0 in T20Is, and performances in the 2025 Asia Cup and a T20I tri-series in Pakistan were underwhelming.
Sri Lanka's performance in the T20 World Cup 2026
Sri Lanka suffered four straight losses at home in the T20 World Cup 2026, crashing out early from the Super Eights. They finished bottom of their group with zero points and a poor net run rate.
In the recent Super Eights clash against Pakistan, Sri Lanka chased a massive 213 but fell short by just five runs, posting 207/6. Captain Dasun Shanaka's unbeaten 76 off 31 balls and Pavan Rathnayake's 58 gave hope, but it wasn't enough. Pakistan won the thriller but still exited the tournament.
Sanath Jayasuriya's background and legacy
Before coaching, Sanath Jayasuriya served as chief selector in two stints. His playing career made him a Sri Lankan icon, known for explosive opening batting and handy spin bowling. As coach, he aimed to rebuild the team but faced criticism for the recent failures.
The T20 World Cup 2026 campaign highlighted batting inconsistencies and the inability to close out games. Sri Lanka's home advantage didn't translate into deep runs. Jayasuriya's exit will open the door for SLC to appoint a new head coach ahead of future assignments.
About the Author
Aachal Maniyar is a Senior Content Producer at LiveMint, where she covers US sports with a focus on major leagues, marquee events, and athlete-driven stories, while also reporting extensively on cricket and global sports. With over five years of first-hand journalism experience, she combines sharp editorial judgment with real-time sports storytelling across platforms. <br><br> Her reporting journey spans leading newsrooms including Thomson Reuters, India TV, BTVI, ET NOW, and CNBC TV18, where she has worked across breaking news, live match coverage, feature writing, interviews, video scripting, and anchoring. This multi-platform exposure has shaped her ability to deliver context-rich sports and business journalism tailored for both television and digital audiences. <br><br> Aachal has conducted and produced exclusive interviews with athletes and public figures such as India cricketer Dhruv Jurel, Indian women’s hockey captain Savita Punia, and industrialist Ratan Tata, along with several emerging and established sports personalities. Her body of work includes in-depth explainers, athlete profiles, emotionally resonant fan narratives, and data-backed match analysis across cricket, Olympic sports, and international competitions. <br><br> She holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune, and believes in reporting that is grounded in accuracy, clarity, and credibility. Her philosophy is simple: sports journalism should go beyond scores and statistics, capturing the human stories, pressure moments, and decisions that shape the game and the people who play it.
Stay updated with all the latest news and insights on Cricket, Football, and Tennis at Livemint Sports. Catch the live action of theT20 World Cup 2026 with the complete T20 World Cup 2026 Schedule, and the T20 World Cup 2026 Points Table. Also, know who are currently leading the charts for Most Runs in T20 World Cup 2026 and Most Wickets in T20 World Cup 2026.
Wait for it…
Oops! Looks like you have exceeded the limit to bookmark the image. Remove some to bookmark this image.