Pubudu Dassanayake Returns as USA Cricket Head Coach

DALLAS: USA Cricket has officially declared the return of Pubudu Dassanayake, a former Sri Lankan international player, as the head coach for the men’s national cricket team.

Dassanayake is taking over from Stuart Law, the former Australian batter, who resigned from his position late in the previous year, subsequent to leading the USA team during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which the USA and West Indies jointly hosted.

The 54-year-old previously held the position of coach for the USA team between 2016 and 2019. During his earlier term, he was instrumental in helping the team secure ODI status and establishing a strong base for the advancement of cricket within the nation.

His reinstatement is regarded as a calculated maneuver as USA Cricket commences its preparations for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, scheduled to take place in India.

Since his previous engagement with the USA team, Dassanayake has coached both Nepal and Canada, most notably guiding Canada towards qualifying for their first-ever T20 World Cup appearance, also co-hosted by the USA.

Dassanayake conveyed his excitement about rejoining the team in an official statement.

“It is an honor to return and lead the USA Men’s National Team. I am proud of what we accomplished during my previous time here and I see tremendous potential in this group to reach even greater heights. I look forward to working closely with the players and staff to continue building something meaningful for USA Cricket,” remarked Dassanayake.

Notably, the former right-handed batter participated in 11 Test matches and 16 ODIs representing Sri Lanka during the 1990s. Later, he relocated to Canada, where he also played for their national team.