COLOMBO, March 31: Sri Lanka sacked coach Dav Whatmore, cricket board chief executive Anura Tennekoon said on Monday, because the team needs a change and “fresh thinking”.

Whatmore, a Sri Lankan-born Australian who guided the team to their 1996 World Cup victory, will remain as coach for the Sharjah Cup, but his contract will not be renewed at the end of May.

“The reason is that Mr Whatmore has been with Sri Lanka cricket since 1995 and the interim committee felt there should be a change after such a long association,” Tennekoon said.

“Dav has been a great servant of Sri Lanka cricket. He won the World Cup for us and this year reached the semifinals, we have been very happy with his service to Sri Lankan cricket.”

Sri Lanka reached this year’s World Cup semifinals where they were beaten by eventual champions Australia.

Whatmore declined to comment on the announcement, saying he would issue a statement after the April 3-10 quadrangular tournament in Sharjah.

Tennekoon said the team’s physiotherapist Alex Kontouri will also be replaced after Sharjah.—Reuters/AFP