Colombo, Sri Lanka

Batting legend Sanath Jayasuriya is appointed Sri Lanka’s new full-time head coach until the 2026 T20 World Cup, the tournament to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Jayasuriya was SL’s interim coach, and following his successful run in this capacity with the national team, the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) named him the permanent coach.

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Sri Lanka tasted enormous success in the longer format under Jayasuriya. While they beat India in a bilateral ODI series for the first time in 27 years, they won a Test in England for the first in over a decade. Besides, they whitewashed New Zealand in Tests (2-0) at home, giving themselves an outside chance of making the World Test Championship (WTC) Final next year.

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"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'," the board statement said.

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Even though Jayasuriya never worked in a similar capacity with any team before, he served as Sri Lankan Cricket’s chief selector on two different occasions. 

Meanwhile, his first assignment as the head coach will be the upcoming limited-over series against West Indies in Dambulla and Pallekele.

Sri Lanka on WTC points table

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As things stand, Sri Lanka is placed third on the current WTC standings, with India and Australia occupying the first two slots, respectively. With five wins and four losses in nine contested matches in this latest WTC cycle, Sri Lanka has a PCT of 55.56. 

Following the home series against the West Indies, Sri Lanka will travel to South Africa for two Tests starting November 27. 

They would then fly to New Zealand for three ODIs and as many T20Is beginning December 28. 

(With inputs from agencies)