Sanath Jayasuriya has decided to step down as head coach of the Sri Lanka men’s cricket team after the 2024 T20 World Cup.
The announcement comes after Sri Lanka’s disappointing campaign at home where they failed to progress beyond the Super Eight stage of the 2026 T20 World Cup.
The legendary former captain’s exit was confirmed after Sri Lanka’s final loss to Pakistan by five runs at Ballegala.
It is understood that Jayasuriya has not communicated his intention to step down from the post before Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).
Speaking at the post-match press conference following the Pakistan game, Jayasuriya admitted that his original contract with the board lasted until June 2026.
He is likely to oversee the upcoming bilateral series against Afghanistan, a white-ball tour that includes T20Is and ODIs scheduled to begin on March 13 in Sharjah.
Jayasuriya started coaching on an interim basis after the 2024 T20 World Cup, which was marked by immediate and historic success. Under his guidance, Sri Lanka won their first bilateral ODI series against India in 27 years in August 2024.
This was followed by a famous Test win over England at the Oval that September and a comprehensive 2-0 Test series win against New Zealand at home.
These achievements led to his appointment as the full-time head coach on October 1, 2024.
However, the initial promise of the “Jayasuriya effect” faded over the next year. The latter part of his tenure has been defined by poor results and high-profile failures.
This World Cup exit was the culmination of an extended period of underdevelopment. Sri Lanka had a modest performance in the 2025 Asia Cup and lost the T20 tri-series in Pakistan last year.
Their preparation for the World Cup was also questioned after their 3-0 win over England in the bilateral T20I series immediately preceding the main event.