Former captain Sanath Jayasuriya has decided to step down as head coach of the Sri Lanka national cricket team. He revealed his decision after Sri Lanka’s narrow five-run defeat to Pakistan national cricket team in Pallekele, a result that ended their T20 World Cup campaign. However, Jayasuriya has not yet formally submitted his resignation to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).

Explaining his decision, Jayasuriya said he felt it was the right time to hand over responsibility to someone else. He mentioned that he had already indicated during the England series, nearly two months ago, that he did not plan to remain in the role for long. At the time, he had hoped to conclude his tenure on a high note with a strong World Cup performance, but that did not materialize.

Although he has announced his intention to step aside, Jayasuriya has not clarified whether he will leave immediately. Sri Lanka are scheduled to play a T20 series against Afghanistan in the United Arab Emirates on March 13, though recent tensions in the Middle East have cast uncertainty over the tour.

Jayasuriya indicated that he may continue temporarily if the fixtures go ahead and SLC requests him to stay. His contract runs until June, and he acknowledged that the board is not yet aware of his public remarks. He plans to hold discussions with SLC, adding that if they are able to appoint a new coach soon, that would be the appropriate course of action.

He took charge as head coach after the 2024 T20 World Cup, and many of Sri Lanka’s notable achievements under his leadership came during the early months. In August 2024, Sri Lanka secured their first bilateral ODI series win over India in 27 years. The following month, they defeated England in a Test at The Oval, and later that year they claimed a 2–0 home Test series victory over New Zealand.

Reflecting on the team’s progress, Jayasuriya noted that when he took over about a year and a half ago, Sri Lanka were ranked eighth or ninth in ODIs and had not even qualified for the Champions Trophy. Since then, he said, they had climbed to fourth in ODIs, improved to sixth in Tests, and moved into the top six or seven in T20s (currently eighth).

He emphasized that the improvements were a collective effort, praising his coaching staff for their strong support. While he lacked extensive coaching experience, he credited his long playing career for helping him manage the role effectively.

However, Sri Lanka struggled in the shorter formats during his final year. They exited the home T20 World Cup after four consecutive defeats, including a loss to Zimbabwe in the group stage, followed by Super Eight defeats to England, New Zealand, and Pakistan. Earlier, in last year’s Asia Cup, the team also lost all three Super Four matches.