Sri Lanka U19s rope in new head coach ahead of 2026 World Cup
The former Sri Lanka batter has been tasked with overseeing the preparations for the upcoming edition of the ICC Men’s U19 World Cup in 2026.
Chamara Silva has been appointed head coach of Sri Lanka's U19 Men’s team, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announced in a release on Tuesday, 25 March.
The appointment, effective from 1 March 2025 until the end of 2026, is focused on preparing the team for next year’s ICC Men’s U19 World Cup, where 16 teams will compete in Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Chamara Silva in action for Sri Lanka at the 2007 Men's Cricket World Cup // Getty Images
The top ten teams from the previous edition have secured automatic qualification, along with hosts Zimbabwe. Sri Lanka is among the teams that have already booked their spots, joining Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Ireland, Pakistan, New Zealand, South Africa and West Indies. The remaining five teams will earn their places through regional qualifiers.
Silva brings extensive experience from his playing career that spanned 12 years, having been part of Sri Lanka’s squad in the 2007 and 2011 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cups that finished as runner-ups. He featured across all formats for Sri Lanka, playing 75 ODIs, 11 Tests and 16 T20Is while amassing 2,269 international runs.
In his coaching career, Silva has previously served as the Head Coach of Police Sports Club and has also worked with Bloomfield Cricket Club and Panadura Sports Club.