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New Delhi, July 16 (HS). Canada head coach Pubudu Dassanayake will step down from his post at the end of the month, with Cricket Canada refusing to renew the contract of the former Sri Lankan and Canadian international.
Dassanayake was previously informed that he would be sacked ahead of the T20 World Cup, but that decision was not confirmed at the time. However, Dassanayake's contract is set to expire at the end of July. According to Cricbuzz, Cricket Canada has decided not to renew it.
The decision has been criticised by some, most notably former president Rajpal Bajwa. Bajwa told Cricbuzz that the decision reflects past mistakes made by Cricket Canada, raising concerns about the organisation's future direction.
He added: “It is unfortunate that the new board has decided to let Pubudu go despite his excellent track record of meeting the milestones we set out in his contract.”
When Dassanayake returned to begin his second stint as Canada coach in July 2022, the Canadian team were playing in the CWC Challenge League, the second tier of the Associate One-Day competition, having lost their ODI status in 2014. Under Dassanayake, Canada remained undefeated throughout the rest of the Challenge League, finishing top of their group and securing a place in the 2023 World Cup Qualifier playoffs in Namibia. A fourth-place finish there earned them ODI status for the first time in nearly a decade. Canada also gained promotion from the CWC Challenge League to the top tier of the Associate competition, CWC League 2, where they are currently undefeated at the top of the table.
Dassanayake successfully led Canada to the Americas T20 Regional Final last year and qualified for the 2024 T20 World Cup, Canada's first appearance in the short format World Cup and first return to the global stage since the 2011 fifty-over edition. Canada's 1-2 record in that tournament was not enough to advance from the group stage, a tough loss to rivals USA, whom Dassanayake had previously coached, proving decisive in that regard. Canada did manage a win over Ireland, however, which was their first win against a full member in ICC's top tournament.
In light of those achievements, Bajwa expressed sadness at Dassanayake's departure; he said, “Canada will lose a coach with immense knowledge and insight into Associate Cricket. Coach Pubudu is and will remain the right person for the position at Cricket Canada. It was a pleasure to work with Coach Pubudu and be a part of some of the outstanding achievements of the Canadian team during his tenure. His dedication and expertise will leave a lasting impact on Canadian cricket.”
Captain Saad Bin Zafar also praised Dassanayake, saying, “Coach Pubudu has demonstrated an extraordinary ability to deliver remarkable results throughout his career. His deep understanding of the game, combined with his dedication and tireless work ethic, sets him apart as a great coach. Under his guidance, we managed to regain our ODI status and qualify to play our first T20 World Cup, which speaks volumes about his ability to inspire and lead the team to achieve excellence. I thank him for his remarkable contribution to Canadian cricket and my personal development as a cricketer and captain of the team.”
As well as achieving ODI status, Dassanayake considers qualifying for the T20 World Cup, and in particular the win over Ireland, as the highlights of his second stint with Canada.
He said, “It was special to beat a Test-playing nation in the World Cup, and I am also proud of our 50-over cricket, winning 4-0 in Dubai (against UAE and Scotland) and topping the table in Associate ODIs. Building a team culture and strong team values has always been a core part of my approach, I am proud of what we have achieved as a team and I am looking forward to the next challenge.”