Canada's Men's T20 World Cup preparations have been thrown into disarray just days before their opening match against the United States. Head coach Pubudu Dassanayeke has been sacked after two years in the role, following a reported letter of dissatisfaction from players.
Dassanayeke's dismissal comes amidst rumors of unrest within the team and surprising selection decisions. A new three-member selection panel, excluding the head coach, was appointed last month, leading to the exclusion of Nikhil Dutta and the dropping of Jeremy Gordon.
Dassanayeke had been in his second stint as Canada's head coach since July 2022. He previously coached the United States and Nepal twice. Under his guidance, Canada qualified for the Men's T20 World Cup for the first time by winning the ICC Americas T20 Regional Final.
The team also regained its ODI status at the 2023 World Cup Qualifier Playoff and gained promotion from the CWC Challenge League to CWC League 2, where they currently sit at the top of the table.
However, reports suggest that dissatisfaction with Dassanayeke's coaching methods and selection decisions had been growing within the team. A board meeting is expected to be held to discuss the matter, but there is little expectation of a reversal.
No replacement for Dassanayeke has been named yet. Canada, captained by Saad Bin Zafar, are drawn in Group A of the Men's T20 World Cup alongside co-hosts USA, India, Pakistan, and Ireland.
Tags: #CricketCanada, #T20WorldCup, #PubuduDassanayeke, #CoachingDismissal, #PlayerDissatisfaction
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