Mahela Jayawardene to work as Sri Lanka U-19 side consultant without remuneration
Former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene is set to take charge as a consultant for the Sri Lanka U-19 side. He has reportedly informed the technical committee that he will be working pro bono with the U-19 side.
Sri Lankan media firm Cricwire reported that Aravinda de Silva, who heads the technical committee, has confirmed the appointment of Mahela Jayawardene as the consultant for the U-19 side. In his new role, Jayawardene is expected to guide the players as well as the coaching staff.
Jayawardene will take charge in his new role after the second phase of the 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL), scheduled to be held in the UAE in September. He is currently serving as the head coach of defending champions Mumbai Indians.
The 44-year-old has a plethora of experience in the field of coaching. His first major stint was as a batting consultant with England in 2015. He later replaced Ricky Ponting as the head coach of the Mumbai Indians in 2016.
Mahela Jayawardene will prepare the Sri Lanka U-19 team for the World Cup
The primary objective for Mahela Jayawardene in his new role will be to prepare the U-19 side for the World Cup scheduled to be held in the West Indies next year.
Sri Lanka had a tough time in the 2020 edition of the U-19 World Cup held in South Africa. They finished third in Group A behind India and New Zealand. Later, the side lost against England in the Plate Final, finishing 10th among 16 teams.
The 2022 U-19 World Cup will once again feature 16 teams. The top 11 teams from the previous edition have already qualified for the event. The other five teams will fight it out for a berth in the qualifiers.