Silverwood resigns after Sri Lanka’s calamitous T20 World Cup

• SLC to headhunt for Head Coach ahead of series against India, England
• “If a person is not motivated and if he doesn’t want to continue you don’t want to force him to stay” – SLC CEO

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Following two unsuccessful ICC World Cup campaigns within the space of six months, English man Chris Silverwood has resigned as the head coach of the Sri Lanka men’s cricket team with immediate effect.

Silverwood was contracted by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) in April 2022 for two years. His contract was extended till the end of July, after which SLC was to review his progress with the national team.

However, following Sri Lanka’s disastrous showing at the Cricket World Cup in India in November 2023 where they finished ninth and subsequently failed to qualify for the 2025 Champions Trophy, and the ongoing T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies where they could not make it to the Super Eights winning only against the Netherlands, Silverwood has decided to quit his post citing personal reasons.

Silverwood’s decision comes closely on the heels of Mahela Jayawardene resigning from his post as consultant coach of the national team. With an important three-Test tour of England coming up in August, Sri Lanka has lost two important high-profile coaches from their coaching staff who could be of immense value to the team with their experience of English conditions and pitches.

Sri Lanka Cricket CEO Ashley de Silva said, “We had a chat with Chris, but he felt that it was time for him to leave. If a person is not motivated and if he doesn’t want to continue you don’t want to force him to stay. We didn’t have time to discuss his contract internally before he resigned. We accepted it because we didn’t want a person to continue when the motivation is not there. Chris’ contract expires at the end of July, so he has given us one month’s notice.”

“Being an international coach means long periods away from loved ones. After lengthy conversations with my family and with a heavy heart, I feel it is now time for me to return home and spend some quality time together,” said Silverwood in a media release from SLC.

“I would like to thank the players, coaches, backroom staff, and management of the SLC for their support during my time in Sri Lanka. Without your support, none of the success would have been possible. It has been a real honour for me to be part of Sri Lanka Cricket and I will be taking away many fond memories,” he added.

Under his tenure, the national team won the T20 Asia Cup in 2022 and also reached the finals of the 50-over Asia Cup in 2023. Additionally, the team secured several bilateral series wins both at home and overseas. Amongst them were a home series win against Australia in the 50-over format and two away Test series wins against Bangladesh.

Silverwood, a former England fast bowler, will be remembered for developing Sri Lanka’s fast bowling resources. Bowlers like Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Matheesha Pathirana and Nuwan Thushara all came through under his watchful eyes.

Sri Lanka’s next international assignment is hosting India for a three-match T20I and ODI series in July-August and Ashley de Silva said that Silverwood will not be available as head coach for the series.

“We would appoint a coach for the Indian tour, either a local or foreign depending on the availability,” said De Silva. “We are in the process of looking for a coach who can work on a full-time basis, but if we cannot find anybody before the Indian series we will appoint a local coach to overlook the operations.”

“For the tour to England also it is the same. We would seek assistance from other areas from the people who have the expertise in those conditions to support us during the English tour on an assignment basis if we don’t find a Head Coach by that time.”

“If you look at Aaqib Javed, he has been playing in England for a long time and he is the fast-bowling coach of the Sri Lanka team for the T20 World Cup. He will end up going to the UK. So likewise, we will also explore the possibility of looking at a batting coach. We will put the system right. We have had internal discussions, and we are in the process of doing that.”

“We would immediately advertise for the position, and we are also in the process of talking to people and seeing how it works. We do have plans for both tours which cannot be disclosed right now. If we don’t find the right person the appointment would be on a short-term basis,” De Silva added.