Lanka de Silva appointed interim head coach of Sri Lanka

Daily News reported. The decision was taken at Sri Lanka Cricket's (SLC) executive committee meeting held on Monday (July 27).

The 45-year-old earlier worked as the team's fielding coach when Harsha de Silva was in charge. However, following a disappointing few months for the Sri Lankan team, Harsha de Silva's contract was terminated after the team's return from Australia where they were knocked out in the first round of the T20 World Cup. Lanka will now oversee the team's training sessions in Colombo.

Earlier, Mahesh Weerasinghe, head coach of Sri Lanka's emerging team, was given charge of the team. It seems, however, that his stint has been cut short.

ALSO READ: Sri Lanka resume training with focus on fitness

Lanka de Silva, who played three tests and 11 ODIs for Sri Lanka and averaged over 50 in the short format, travelled with the team to Australia for the T20 World Cup. Before that he also traveled with the women's emerging team to Pokhara for the South Asian Games as head coach.

A wonderful gloveman, Lanka boasts of over 300 dismissals in First-Class cricket.

Sri Lanka recently resumed training in Colombo, with a group of 35 players practicing at SLC's High Performance Academy in the Premadasa Stadium. Having failed to qualify for the ODI World Cup in New Zealand next year they are scheduled to play the qualifying tournament.