Five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians have roped in former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene as their head coach as part of a major overhaul ahead of mega auction. Jayawardene has had a similar role with the franchise from 2017-2022 and oversaw their title-winning campaigns in 2017, 2019 and 2020-21. Jayawardene replaced former South African wicketkeeper-batter Mark Boucher who had a two-year stint as MI’s head coach. Mumbai Indians qualified for the knockouts in the 2023 edition but endured a poor run this year, finishing last with only four wins in 14 matches.

“My journey within the MI family has always been one of evolution. In 2017, the focus was on bringing together a talented group of individuals to play the best cricket ever and we did very well,” Jayawardene said in a release issued by the franchise.

“Now to return, at the same moment in history, where we look ahead at the future and the opportunity to further strengthen the love of MI, build on the vision of the owners, and continue to add to the history of Mumbai Indians, is an exciting challenge I am looking forward to,” he added. 

India skipper Rohit Sharma scripted a huge record during the T20 World Cup semi-final match against England. In a rain-hit semi-finale clash in Guyana, India were asked to bat after England skipper Jos Buttler won the toss. India had a good outing with the bat as they posted a total of 171/7 in 20 overs. Rohit was the star batter for his team with his 57-run knock off 39 balls. Apart from him, Suryakumar Yadav also scored 47 off 36 balls.

Rohit’s half-century consisted of six fours and two sixes. With this, he surpassed former Sri Lanka batter Mahela Jayawardene‘s record of most fours in T20 World Cup history.

Rohit has now registered 113 fours in 43 innings of T20 World Cups, while Jayawardene had smashed 111 fours in 31 innings.

Apart from this, he also completed his 50 sixes in T20 World Cup history, becoming the first Indian batter to achieve this feat. Talking about the overall stats, he is the second batter after former West Indies star Chris Gayle (63) to hit 50 maximums.

Talking about the match, the India skipper hit six delectable boundaries and two sixes in his 39-ball-57 while Suryakumar Yadav got 47 off 36 balls but heavy rains that stopped them on tracks after eight overs did disturb their momentum.

The duo added 73 runs for the third wicket. Virat Kohli (9) once again failed and now has a tally of 75 runs from seven games in the tournament.

Part-time off-spinner Liam Livingstone (0/24 in 4 overs) and leg-spinner Adil Rashid (1/25 in 4 overs) were brilliant in keeping things under check, giving only 49 runs in their eight overs.

It was finally left to Hardik Pandya (23 off 13 balls), who took on Chris Jordan in the 18th over, hitting two consecutive sixes that took them close to 150 before Ravindra Jadeja (17) and Axar Patel (10) took India past the par score.

All the frontline English bowlers were among wickets with Chris Jordan (3/37) having the best figures.

(With PTI Inputs)

Sri Lanka’s head coach Chris Silverwood on Thursday stepped down from the role following the team’s dismal outing in the ongoing T20 World Cup, the SLC announced. Former captain Mahela Jayawardene had resigned from the post of the consultant coach on Wednesday. “Being an international coach means long periods away from loved ones. After lengthy conversations with my family and with a heavy heart, I feel it is now time for me to return home and spend some quality time together,” Silverwood said in his statement.

“It has been a real honour for me to be part of Sri Lanka Cricket and I will be taking away many fond memories,” added Silverwood.

Sri Lanka crashed out of the T20 WC in the group stages itself with two losses, a no result and a solitary win, and it was the former champions’ worst performance in the ICC showpiece.

During Silverwood’s tenure, Lanka won the T20 Asia Cup in 2022 and also reached the final of the 50-over Asia Cup last year where they lost to India.

They also secured a slew of bilateral series wins both at home and overseas, including one against Australia in the 50-over format and two away Test series wins over Bangladesh.

The SLC has already started the process of finding a new head coach ahead the team’s next international outing against India in a white ball series next month.

The Lankans will then head to England for a two-match Test series.

The chatter around who would be India men’s next head coach has been a constant source of discussion ever since the BCCI said on May 13 that it was inviting applications for Rahul Dravid’s successor at the top job, with a deadline set for May 27. Of late, certain reports have suggested that names of Gautam Gambhir, and Mahela Jayawardene were doing the rounds of being India’s next head coach, who would be appointed for the time period from July 1, 2024 to December 31, 2027. But reliable sources have told IANS that Jayawardene, the former Sri Lanka men’s captain, “hasn’t applied nor has been approached for the top job and is currently happy at the MI set-up”. Jayawardene, who coached Mumbai Indians to three IPL titles, is currently serving as the franchise’s global head of performance, where he’s in charge for the coaching and scouting of MI franchises in various global T20 leagues like the SA20 and ILT20. He’s also worked as a consultant for Sri Lanka men’s team in their recent World Cup campaigns.

There was also the name of former Australia head coach Justin Langer being talked about as a potential candidate. But Langer, speaking after his side Lucknow Super Giants’ campaign came to an end in IPL 2024 on May 17, ruled himself out of being in the reckoning to coach the Indian team.

“It would almost be the biggest job in cricket – being the head coach of the Indian cricket team. One, because of the huge volume of cricket, the huge expectation. It would be a great challenge. It would be great fun and it would be a wonderful opportunity to win ICC titles.”

“But with all these things, the timing has got to be right. I did four or so years with the Australian cricket team. It is all encompassing. It is exhausting. Rahul Dravid will probably tell you the same thing and Ravi Shastri will probably tell you the same thing. The pressure on winning for the Indian team is massive. I’m sure the next person who gets the job will be really looking forward to the project,” he said.