Sri Lanka's head coach, Sanath Jayasuriya, has indicated that he will step down from his role following the team's early exit from the ongoing T20 World Cup. His announcement came in the aftermath of a heartbreaking five-run defeat to Pakistan that sealed Sri Lanka’s elimination from the tournament. Speaking after the loss in Pallekele on Saturday, Jayasuriya revealed that he had already resolved to make this World Cup his final assignment as head coach. Although he has yet to formally notify Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) of his decision, he suggested that his mind was made up before the tournament began. 

"I thought it was time to give it to someone else. That's why about two months ago I'd said during the England series that I don't have hopes of staying in the job for long. I'd taken this decision by then. I thought I'd be able to leave as coach on a good note in the World Cup. I wasn't able to do that as well as I'd like, and I'm sad about that,” Sanath Jayasuriya was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo. 

Jayasuriya, whose contract will expire in June, said that he is yet to apprise Sri Lanka Cricket about his decision. 

"My contract runs till June. I haven't given SLC any news officially yet. They don't know that I am going to say this even. I will need to go and discuss with them. If they can get somebody [to coach the team] then definitely [they should do that],” he said. 

"Over the last one-and-a-half years I was able to bring the team from where we were. In ODIs we were ranked eighth or ninth and we didn't even qualify for a Champions Trophy. But I was able to bring us to No. 4. I've brought the Test team to No. 6, and the T20 team is also sixth or seventh [they currently sit at eighth],” he stated.

Notably, Sri Lanka’s campaign faltered during the Super Eights stage, where the team endured three consecutive defeats.