Sri Lanka to hire Mahala Jayawardene for T20 World Cup as a consultant

As the Sri Lankan team heads to the UAE and Oman for the first round of the ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup in 2021, legendary batsman Mahela Jayawardene will serve as a consultant.

Besides consulting and mentoring the U-19 team, Jayawardene also worked with the senior squad while preparing for the 2019 ICC U-19 World Cup in West Indies. 

During his seven days with the national team from October 16-23, he will serve as an Under 19 player for five months. 

As soon as the IPL concludes, he will join the national side, where he is currently acting as the head coach of Mumbai Indians. 

On his appointment, a statement by the Sri Lankan Cricket Board CEO Ashley De Silva read: “We are very happy to welcome Mahela into his new roles, as his presence with the Sri Lanka Team and the U19 Team is going to help the players immensely.”

“From his playing days, Mahela was respected for the vast cricketing knowledge he brought into the game, first as a player, then as a Captain, now as a Coach for different teams.”

His career as a Sri Lankan cricketer spanned 149 Tests, 448 One Day Internationals, and 55 Twenty20 Internationals.