Mathews steps down as Sri Lanka captain
Angelo Mathews has stepped down as captain of Sri Lanka across all three formats following a 3-2 ODI series defeat at home against Zimbabwe.
The 30-year-old Mathews was appointed in 2013 and led his country in 34 Tests, 98 ODIs and 12 T20Is but the series loss to Zimbabwe was the final blow as he described it as “one of the lowest points in my career.”
Sri Lanka achieved great things under the allrounder, notably winning a Test series in England for the first time in 2014 and also whitewashing Australia in the longest format at home last year.
However, the team has struggled since the retirement of senior players, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, after the 2015 World Cup in Australia.
Under Mathews’ leadership Sri Lanka has suffered two whitewashes in the Test format in New Zealand and a similar fate was had in the three-match series in South Africa earlier this year.
The team was disappointing at the 2016 World T20 – and also exited the Champions Trophy at the group stages last month.
Sri Lanka will now have to appoint a new skipper before the one-off Test against Zimbabwe, which starts in Colombo on Friday.
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