Sri Lanka rope in Jayawardena as Consultant Coach

In his new role that he will take up starting 1 January 2022, Jayawardena will bring his vast experience as he takes charge of the "overall cricketing element of the national teams and will provide invaluable strategic support for the players and management teams at the High-Performance Center".

In September, Jayawardena was appointed as the consultant for the first round of the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup in UAE and Oman, where Sri Lanka finished on top of Group A with three wins out of three.

He was also named as the Consultant and Mentor for Sri Lanka Under 19 team in their preparation for the 2022 ICC Under 19 World Cup in the West Indies, a role he will continue to play alongside the responsibilities of being the Consultant Coach of the national side.

On Jayawardena's appointment, Ashley De Silva, CEO of Sri Lanka Cricket said, "We are extremely happy that Mahela is joining the National Team for an extended role, especially given the context that Sri Lanka has a heavy international calendar during the year 2022," said Ashley De Silva, CEO of Sri Lanka Cricket."

"Mahela’s contributions during the first round of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup became invaluable for the overall performances of our team in the concluded event," he added.

Jayawardena too shared his excitement on his appointment.

“This is an exciting opportunity to work with the national cricketers and coaches in our various development squads, including the U19 and A Team teams, to help us do justice to the enormous cricketing talent and potential in Sri Lanka,” said Jayawardena.

“I am very passionate about Sri Lankan cricket and believe that with a coordinated and focused team effort, taking a holistic approach working across all age groups, we can achieve consistent success in the future.”

"My main role will be supporting our team of national coaches and support staff in terms of our preparation and strategic thinking during the coming year.”