Former Canadian wicketkeeper and coach Pubudu Dassanayake is set to step down from his position as Nepal head coach after next month’s World Cricket League Championship matches against Papua New Guinea.
Despite his contract being slated to end on December 31, the Sri Lankan-born ex-Canada national coach has decided to announce his departure early after a string of disappointing performances and backroom politics. Talking to the Himalayan Times, Dassanayake explained that his intention was to drive Nepalese cricket forward. However, resistance to change and underfunding from the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) left him with no choice but to resign.
A History of Success in Canada
Although his roots stem back to Sri Lanka, Dassanayake found a home in Canadian cricket after he transferred his national allegiance in the late Nineties. Having started his career as an international for Sri Lanka, Dassanayake was dropped from the side in 1994 but made a return in 1998. However, his patchy form and inconsistency in bat forced him out of the side once again and into the Canadian cricket set-up.
An outing in the ICC Trophy earned the wicketkeeper eight dismissals and batting average of 15.20. However, it was off the field were Dassanayake really began to find his form. With Andy Pick out of the picture, Dassanayake was asked to step in as temporary coach of the Canadian national team in June 2007.
An initial bout of success resulted in Dassanayake taking full control of the squad and in 2011 he broke new ground by leading the country to only its second win in Cricket World Cup history.
This run of results won Dassanayake a plethora of fans across Canada but when his contract came up for renewal he decided he’d taken the team as far as he could and opted not to continue as head coach. That departure allowed him to take charge of Nepal in August 2011 on a six-month contract. This position was, subsequently, made permanent and eventually turned into a four-year tenure.
More of the Same with Nepal
As he did with Canada, Dassanayake broke new ground with Nepal and managed to get the side into the ICC World Twnety20 in 2014 for the first time in its history. Although this was to be the pinnacle of his career, Nepalese cricket fans will also have something of a soft spot for Dassanayake. Indeed, just as Canadian cricket fans still admire him for his efforts with the national side, there will always be a place within Nepal’s cricket community for Dassanayake.
With his past credentials in no doubt, the question is what’s next for Dassanayake? As it stands, Canada’s coaching coalition between Gus Logie and Michael Dighton could be in danger following a poor run of form. While there has been no suggestion that their positions are in jeopardy, continued poor performances will certainly put their tenures under the spotlight.
Could Dassanayake Rejuvenate Canadian Cricket?
Indeed, a rundown of the recent headlines and stats inside betfair’s dedicated cricket platform doesn’t bode well for Canada. After losing ODI and T20 status in 2014, Canada is nowhere to be seen in the latest betting markets offered by online bookmakers. While the likes of Afghanistan, UEA and Scotland have all found a way into the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup betting market, Canada is disappointingly absent.
As he has done before, Dassanayake could be the man to inject some new life into the national side and take them back to the biggest stage in international cricket. Of course, even if the current coaches were to be sacked (and there’s no suggestion this is going to happen), there’s no guarantee Dassanayake would want to return to his role as Canada’s head coach.
Although he didn’t leave on bad terms, it’s a role he has played before and, possibly, one he isn’t willing to play again. Regardless of what his next move will be, it seems as though Dassanayake’s departure from Nepal is bittersweet. After a promising start his hands were tied by the factors out his control. However, he can now at least move on to his next venture safe in the knowledge he’s proven, yet again, that he’s a coach who can inspire under appreciated sides to achieve great things.