Atapattu takes over as Sri Lanka head coach

The executive committee of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has “unanimously approved and appointed” Atapattu with immediate effect, the SLC said in a statement without revealing terms and tenure of the appointment some five months before next year’s 50-over World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Following the resignation of Englishman Paul Farbrace in April, 43-year-old Atapattu was named the interim coach of the team which went on to win a test series in England and a test and one-day series at home against Pakistan.

Atapattu, who played 90 tests and 268 one-dayers from 1990-2007, joined the Sri Lankan support staff in 2011 as a batting coach and was made Graham Ford’s deputy in 2013.

Roy Dias was the last Sri Lankan to coach the team full-time in 1999 before SLC began its experiments with foreigners.

Sri Lanka will host England for seven one-day internationals beginning on November 26.