Just days before Canada are due to begin their T20 World Cup campaign, head coach Pubudu Dassanayeke has been dismissed from his role as head coach, which he had held for the past two years. A former Sri Lanka and Canada international, Dassanayeke returned for a second stint as coach of Canada in July of 2022, having previously coached Nepal (twice), and the United States.
Since taking on the role again, Dassanayeke successfully took Canada through the Americas T20 Regional Final to qualify for this coming T20 World Cup, as well as seeing them reclaim ODI status at the 2023 World Cup Qualifier Playoff. Canada also gained promotion from the CWC Challenge League to CWC League 2, where they currently sit unbeaten at the top of the table.
Yet rumours of unrest in the Canadian camp had been swirling for some time, accompanied by some surprising selection decisions being made after a new three-member selection panel, excluding the head coach, was appointed last month following fractious Cricket Canada board elections. The subsequent omission of Nikhil Dutta especially raised eyebrows, as did the decision to drop Jeremy Gordon.
Dassanayeke was verbally informed on Wednesday morning (May 22) by newly-elected Cricket Canada vice president Gurdeep Klair that his services would no longer be required following the completion of the ongoing preparatory matches in St Kitts, the last of which was played today.
Cricbuzz understands that a letter expressing dissatisfaction with Dassanayeke had been circulated amongst the players, and though several of the squad declined to put their names to it, Cricket Canada has seemingly held there to be sufficient grounds for dismissal. While a board meeting is expected to be held this evening where the question will likely be raised, there is little expectation of a reversal.
No replacement for Dassanayake has yet been named. Canada are set to play the opening match of the T20 World Cup against hosts the USA at Dallas on June 1.
(Cricbuzz)
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