Jayawardene steps down as T20 captain

E-Paper | June 12, 2026

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COLOMBO: Mahela Jayawardene resigned as Sri Lanka's Twenty20 captain on Sunday, but insisted it had nothing to do with the 36-run defeat to the West Indies in the World T20 final.

“I had told the selectors before the tournament started that I won't captain in T20 and they needed to groom someone else for the future,” Jayawardene told reporters after the final in Colombo.

Jayawardene, 35, will however continue as a player in the shortest format and will also lead in both Test and one-day cricket.

The accomplished batsman has scored 1,224 runs in 44 Twenty20 internationals at a strike rate of 133.77 per 100 balls.

The first world title for the West Indies since the 50-over World Cup triumph in 1979 also handed Sri Lanka their fourth defeat in a major final since 2007.

Sri Lanka have now lost two successive 50-over World Cup finals in 2007 and 2011 and two World Twenty20 finals in 2009 and 2012.

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arsalan

Oct 08, 2012 11:00am

I cannot think of a better captain today than mahela, may be dhoni had that place previously but no more. This guys here had taken the responsibility not just to captain the side but to field at the most toughest position that is mid-wicket in the death overs when the ball usually goes in that direction and also to open the innings and make the momentum from there. He took the responsibility of the defeat and step down which shows the thorough professionalism in him. A great lesson for the youngsters.

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wasim

Oct 07, 2012 07:04pm

Pakistani team. Please watch this and get some ghairat (shame)

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muhammad

Oct 07, 2012 06:36pm

Mahela Jayawardene its ok brother you live to fight another day i hop you dont stop playing the t20 in my opinion srilankans are the real tigers of south asia better luck next time you played well

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Rao

Oct 07, 2012 07:07pm

Captaincy should not be a musical chair contest, one should not play with this role at own discretion. Dude, your country has invested big time in making you a captain and you learnt from your team's defeats, now you are wasting all that experience in trash and a new captain can again start learning from defeats. Grow up all quitters, for your countries.

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Khan

Oct 08, 2012 01:48am

Pakistani cricketers and specially Shahid Afridi, Malik, Nazir, Kamran Akmal, Gul, and Tanveer should LEARN A LESSON from Sri Lankan Captain! They should have some SELF RESPECT and SHAME and retire as players since they have failed to perform after countless chances, Stop being selfish and have some GHAIRAT. Since these players have no SHAME and will not retire, PCB must force the issue and now start building a team based on young talent for 2015 ODI world cup. If Pakistan don't do this NOW they will suffer an early exit from the next world cups. There was no reason for non-selection of Hammad Azam, Ahmed Shehzad, Anwer Ali, and Asad Shafiq for this world cup.

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mafia

Oct 08, 2012 08:07am

Rao and you say this on the basis of what !!! the Indian Captain..... FYI he is the guys who does not knw how to explain what a no ball and cheats players who dont know to play the game ( the new pepsi commercial) .... so first tell it ur contrymen to grow up before u point fingers at others

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akhter husain

Oct 08, 2012 09:38am

A good advice

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akhter husain

Oct 08, 2012 09:52am

We may take Mahela's word as true.He had already indicated to relinquish the captaincy for grooming future captain.We must understand that only one team can be the champion.Should all the captains of losing teams require to quit?Let the aging and out of form players to decide their future.How would we react when new players also fail?.

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Asad

Oct 08, 2012 11:24am

Hope Hafeez is reading this and gets some inspiration (or shame in his case).

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Capt C M Khan

Oct 08, 2012 11:37am

tHIS cAPTAIN hAFEEZ DOES NOT WANT TO LEARN BUT,,,,is defending his and team's POOR PERFORMANCE...so wht if we reached Semis....IMRAN USED TO PLAY EVERY GAME TO WIN....not to be happy with fourth best...GROW UP GUYS...Paksitan got enormous talent...just need Good Captain

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Maula Bux

Oct 08, 2012 10:13am

Pakistan captain, a fake professor, is a Leechar. This is a legacy which all Pakistanis suffer from. Thsy would nover leave of their own and stick to the chair at all cost. Hafiz will not have an audacity to resign after the debcale in T20.

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mashood

Oct 07, 2012 10:29pm

Cricket is a SPORTS, needs healthy minds and a sportman spirit. But! ATTITUDE translates your abilities... Srilanka lost the final... Captain-Jayawardene Mahela have shown jesture full of self respect and gracefully have apologised to the nation and has resigned as a captain. While Our beloved captain - Mr. Hafeez on loosing semi-final... dare to Congrats team and proudly shared words of joys on loosing semi final with nation, considered it as a positive cricket. I am confused, was he representing Pakistani Hockey team or women Cricket team. No way, this should have come from the skipper of the National Cricket Team.....

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Omar

Oct 07, 2012 09:15pm

Class act and a thorough professional.

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Que

Oct 08, 2012 06:30am

The broken pitch which helped them to win against Pakistan has "Backfired" on SL in the finals... What goes around come around! Well Done West Indies!!!!

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Abdullah Hussain

Oct 08, 2012 06:29am

This is the sign of a professional cricketer who considers cricket above anything. If he can't deliver he simply says thank you, please choose a better man to lead. Comparatively our captains wants to hold the captaincy until thrown out.

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Maula Bux

Oct 08, 2012 10:16am

Srilankans cricket is very racial. They keep Muslim players out of cricket. Sangakarra is the most racil of them.

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