Pubudu Dassanayake Returns as USA Men’s Cricket Head Coach

USA Cricket has appointed Pubudu Dassanayake as the new head coach of the men’s national team.

Dassanayake, who previously coached the Nepal national team, had also led the USA team from 2016 to 2019. During that time, he helped the team gain One Day International (ODI) status for the first time. His return is being seen as a comeback.

Dassanayake is a former international cricketer. In the early 1990s, he played 11 Test matches and 16 ODIs for Sri Lanka. Later, he moved to Canada and even became captain of the Canadian national team. Over the past decade, he has successfully coached national teams from Canada, Nepal, and the USA.

Under his guidance, Canada qualified for the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, and Nepal reached their first ICC T20 World Cup in 2014. In his first stint with the USA team, Dassanayake played a key role in helping the team move up from ICC World Cricket League Division 4 and gain ODI status in 2019.

Most recently, he was the head coach of the Canadian men’s national team. During his time there, Canada regained ODI status and qualified for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 — their first-ever appearance in the tournament.

USA Cricket believes Dassanayake’s long-term vision and focus on building a strong team culture will strengthen American cricket further.