Sanath Jayasuriya wants to step down as SL coach after T20 World Cup fiasco, says 'If you get somebody...'

Agitated with Sri Lanka's disappointing show in T20 World Cup 2026, Sanath Jayasuriya has expressed his willingness to step down as their head coach.

Sanath Jayasuriya wants to quit Sri Lanka coaching

Right after Sri Lanka's five-run defeat to Pakistan in their last Super 8 clash, Jayasuriya turned up for the post-match presser and clearly stated that he has told Sri Lanka Cricket that if they find somebody, he is ready to leave. His remarks caught Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) by surprise as he had not formally informed them of his departure.

"As a coach, I'm sad and disappointed. We need to do a lot of things to achieve consistency. I have told SLC, if you get somebody, I'm leaving," Jayasuriya said at the post-match press conference.

"We came to Super Eight after a long time. If we want to do well, we need to click as a unit, both batting and bowling. We need to learn how to play under pressure, and perform under pressure," he added.

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Sri Lanka's T20 World Cup exit adds to recent failure

Taking over shortly after the 2024 T20 World Cup, Jayasuriya experienced notable successes early in his tenure. High points included leading Sri Lanka to their first bilateral ODI series victory against India in 27 years in August 2024, followed by a historic Test win at The Oval in September and a dominant 2-0 home Test series victory over New Zealand. These achievements established a promising start for his coaching career with the national side.

However, the latter part of his tenure was marred by significant failures, culminating in four consecutive losses that saw Sri Lanka crash out of a home T20 World Cup. This recent slump followed underwhelming performances in the 2025 Asia Cup, a disappointing T20I tri-series in Pakistan, and a 3-0 T20I series sweep by England just prior to the World Cup. Jayasuriya, who previously served two stints as chief selector, is ready to leave the top role the coaching role amid this period of decline.

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