Colombo: Wanindu Hasaranga has stepped down as the captain of Sri Lanka’s T20I side following their early exit from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.The Sri Lankan spinner, who was appointed as the T20I captain, only last year, led the team in 10 matches.
According to a statement released by Sri Lankan Cricket (SLC), Hasaranga stated in his resignation letter that he took this decision “in the best interest” of the team.
“Sri Lanka will always have my utmost best efforts as a player, and I will support and stand by my team and leadership as always,” Hasaranga wrote in his resignation letter to SLC.
Sri Lanka confirmed that Hasaranga would remain a key player in their squads going forward.
The Asian team takes on India in a home white-ball bilateral series, beginning July 26. They are yet to name their squad and skipper for the series.
Notably, the recently concluded ICC T20 World Cup 2024 was poor for Sri Lanka as they failed to reach the Super Eights. They lost to South Africa and Bangladesh in the group stage and could only register one win against the Netherlands. Their game against Nepal was washed out due to rain. With just three points, Lanka finished in the third spot in Group D.
Earlier on Monday, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announced former cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya as the interim head coach of the men’s senior national team until September 2024.
Jayasuriya has scored 21,032 runs at an average of 34.14 in 586 international matches from 1989 to 2011. He has scored 42 centuries and 103 fifties for SL, with the best score of 340.
He is the ninth-highest run-scorer in international cricket and the third-highest scorer for SL behind Mahela Jayawardene (25,957 runs) and Sangakkara (28,016). The leading run-scorer is Sachin Tendulkar (34.357 runs).
He also took 440 wickets in international cricket.
