Resignation galore in Lanka as Jayawardene, selectors quit

E-Paper | April 28, 2026

cricket world cup, 2011 world cup, world cup 2011, sri lanka world cup, kumar sangakkara, mahela jayawardene

“I think it's time to move on, give the reins to someone younger in the team.”

COLOMBO: Veteran batsman Mahela Jayawardene quit as vice-captain and a three-member selection committee also resigned en masse in a major shake-up in Sri Lankan cricket following the team’s World Cup defeat. “I think it’s time to move on, give the reins to someone younger in the team,” Jayawardene told AFP.

The resignations came a day after Kumar Sangakkara stepped down as one-day and Twenty20 captain.

Jayawardene, 33, was vice-captain for the World Cup, where Sri Lanka lost to India by six wickets in the final in Mumbai last week despite his impressive century.

Sri Lanka Cricket chairman D. S. de Silva said the governing body had accepted Jayawardene’s resignation.

Jayawardene, who has scored 9,527 runs in Tests and 9,423 in one-day internationals, quit as Sri Lanka captain in February 2009.

The selectors, led by former batsman Aravinda de Silva, also handed in their resignations to Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage. De Silva was the vice-captain of the 1996 World Cup-winning Sri Lankan side.

Sangakkara stood down on Tuesday to allow selectors to groom new leaders for the next cricket World Cup in 2015.

Sri Lanka’s next international assignment is the tour of England in May-July for three Tests and five one-dayers.

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Dr. Salaria, Aamir A

Apr 06, 2011 07:25pm

This is for sure an excellent precedent set by the two great Sri Lankan cricketers. In fact, history provides testimony to the fact that in South Asia. nobody wants to relinquish his/her position by showing the guts as well as the grit to take the responsibility of any major defeat or debacle. Well done Sangakkara and Jayawardene. Both of you have proved that not only you are out-standing cricketers but also people of high morals, great principles and good character.

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Farooq Ahmed

Apr 08, 2011 03:31pm

Whats the point in playing when politics governs it.Sports is to showcase ones talent and strive for victory.If you are made to act,its better to act in a theatre,that will give a good adrenalin rush. Still,these men truly are human beings not the dogs of politicians.

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Peter Casie Chetty

Apr 08, 2011 05:00pm

Who made the changes in the final team? The selecting committee. They were responsible for Kapugedera playing instead of Chamara Silva. If they had not resigned it would have been a scandal. Jayawardena and Sangakkara resigned because of their disappointment and hats off to them. They will be remembered as two of the finest produced by our motherland.

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