Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has appointed Lasith Malinga as part of the national coaching setup ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The former pacer will take up a short-term consulting role, where he will mainly focus on strengthening Sri Lanka’s pace attack as they prepare for the upcoming World Cup.
On December 30, SLC announced that Malinga will work with the squad from December 15 to January 25, 2026. Sri Lanka failed to reach the knockout rounds in the last three editions of the tournament.
Malinga is expected to bring international experience and expertise in death bowling. His main responsibility will be guiding the fast bowlers and helping them improve their skills for T20 cricket.
Malinga is one of the most successful players from Sri Lanka’s golden era. Between 2007 and 2014, he played a major role in the team’s strong performances in World Cups. Sri Lanka reached the finals of the ODI World Cup twice during that period and enjoyed great success in T20 cricket, where they finished runners-up in 2009 and 2012 before winning the title in 2014 in Mirpur. Malinga has also served as a coach with Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League.
Sri Lanka have been placed in Group B and will begin their 2026 T20 World Cup campaign on February 8 against Ireland. They will also face Australia, Oman and Zimbabwe in the group stage.
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