• Says will develop cricket in Matara 
• Vows to support from outside the system

Former Sri Lanka skipper Sanath Jayasuriya has stepped down from his position as Consultant to Sri Lanka Cricket’s High-Performance Centre (HPC), effective from the end of this month.

In a letter addressed to the newly appointed Cricket Transformation Committee, Jayasuriya said he had become aware that certain members had raised concerns regarding both his appointment to the HPC and his position as President of the Matara District Cricket Association, citing a possible conflict of interest.

Jayasuriya said he took the responsibilities not because he needed employment, but because he was requested to serve SLC during a difficult period for the national team.

Reflecting on his stint as head coach, Jayasuriya noted that he took over at a time when very few were prepared to accept the post, after Sri Lanka failed to qualify for the ICC Champions Trophy and team performances had dipped.

He stated that together with his local coaching staff and players, the team worked to rebuild standards and confidence, securing important series victories against India, New Zealand, West Indies and Australia in white-ball cricket.

Jayasuriya also referred to Sri Lanka’s disappointing ICC T20 World Cup Super8 exit, noting that injuries to key players and certain structural and personnel changes before the tournament had disrupted plans and continuity, with some of those decisions being outside the purview of the coaching staff.

He added that despite those circumstances, he accepted responsibility as head coach and resigned from the position following the tournament.

Addressing concerns regarding his involvement with the Matara District Cricket Association, Jayasuriya said the development of cricket in Matara remained close to his heart as a player who emerged from the District.

He also noted that former players should be encouraged to take up development roles at grassroots level and maintained that he did not see any conflict of interest in his responsibilities.

However, Jayasuriya said that if members of the new administration viewed the roles as conflicting, he would prefer to continue contributing towards the development of cricket in Matara, rather than hold another position within the system.

He further stated that he did not wish to become a distraction to the work of the new administration and expressed hope that the Committee would succeed in taking the sport here back to its glory days.

Jayasuriya also said his backing for the game and Sri Lankan cricketers would never depend on holding an official position and that he would continue supporting the game from outside the system as well.