Mahesh Weerasinghe likely to be appointed as interim coach of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) are likely to appoint Mahesh Weerasinghe as the coach of women’s national team on an interim basis, according to reports. The 49-year-old former pacer and wicket-keeper, who had also captained Chilaw Marians Cricket Club and played five first-class matches, may be offered this post for a period of six months until a new coach is appointed.



It is understood that Weerasinghe, who is currently working as the coach of the Emerging team, will receive his offer letter by the end of the week. Most recently he led the team to the final of the South Asian Games tournament after a promising run in the Women's Emerging Asia Cup where they lost to India in the final.



"Mahesh Weerasinghe has performed well as the assistant coach of the women’s team and we believe he has the potential to revive the game,” a top official of SLC revealed on Sunday (June 21). “The overall results at international level has dropped during the past two years and we think Mahesh Weerasinghe has the credentials to change that."



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The decision to appoint Weerasinghe comes after predecessor Harsha de Silva’s contract was not extended following the Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia in February-March this year, where the Chamari Atapattu-led side were able to register only one win in four games. Over the last two years, despite the emergence of young Harshitha Madavi, Sri Lanka showed an over-dependence on the senior duo of Atapattu and Shashikala Siriwardene.



De Silva was appointed the coach in August 2018 on a two-year contract after Hemantha Devapriya resigned in June that year, five months before the contract ended, citing personal reasons. De Silva had earlier led the women in one of their most successful World Cup campaigns, in 2013, when they beat fancied opponents like hosts India, England, and South Africa, in what was the high point of his three-year tenure from 2010-2013.



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Weerasinghe's first task will be to guide the team through the ODI World Cup qualifying tournament ahead of the 2021 World Cup. Originally scheduled to be held in July, the tournament was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and is yet to be rescheduled by the ICC.



Unlike the men, the women’s players who are offered six-month contracts are yet to begin outdoor training.



Sri Lanka are one of four teams in search of a coach, with Bangladesh, Pakistan and West Indies all searching for someone to take charge of their national sides.