Sri Lanka Rope in Former Star As Consultant Ahead Of T20 World Cup 2026

Sri Lanka have appointed the star former pacer Lasith Malinga as the Consultant Fast Bowling Coach of their men’s team ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026.

Lasith Malinga Elected as Consultant Fast Bowling Coach of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is set to co-host the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 alongside the reigning champions, India. They have handed over the responsibility of grooming the side’s pace attack to the veteran seamer on a short-term basis, focusing on the upcoming ICC tournament.

Malinga has been a legendary figure in the Sri Lankan fraternity and in global cricket as well. The slinger bowler is the leading wicket-taker for the team in T20 World Cups, with a total of 38 scalps. He will be effective in his position from December 15 to January 25, 2026.

The 42-year-old, who has been a stalwart of the T20 game, will provide massive learning opportunities to the current players, especially before entering the highly anticipated 20-over event. He has also taken up such similar roles for the team before, including being appointed as their bowling strategy coach ahead of the Australia limited-over series in 2022.

“Malinga will support the preparation and development of Sri Lanka’s national fast bowlers as part of the build-up to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Sri Lanka Cricket aims to leverage Malinga’s vast international experience and renowned expertise in death bowling, particularly in the shortest format of the game, to strengthen Sri Lanka’s preparations for the upcoming World Cup,” read an SLC statement.

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Sri Lanka Would Look to Bounce Back in T20 World Cup 2026

Dasun Shanaka and Men would be eager to script a strong comeback in the T20 World Cup 2026, following a poor show in the ACC Asia Cup 2025. The titleholders for the T20 Asia Cup had suffered a winless exit from the Super Fours after consecutive defeats against Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India, respectively.

However, 20 teams will compete for the silverware, starting from February 7. But Sri Lanka have not been able to deliver an impactful performance on the biggest stage of the shortest format since getting their hands on the elusive trophy in 2014. Moreover, the two-time runners-up (2009 and 2012) endured a group-stage exit in the T20 World Cup 2024, with a solitary victory over the Netherlands.

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