T20 World Cup 2026: SLC rope in Malinga as consultant bowling coach

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has appointed former pacer Lasith Malinga as consultant bowling coach ahead of the T20 World Cup, which they will co-host with India in February-March next year. Malinga will work with the team for 40 days, from December 15, 2025, to January 25, 2026.

One of the finest white-ball bowlers in the history of the sport, Malinga will work and assist the pace bowlers. He has served in the role at least twice before in addition to working unofficially with multiple cricketers in the past.

"Sri Lanka Cricket aims to leverage Malinga's vast international experience and renowned expertise in death bowling, particularly in the shortest format of the game, to strengthen Sri Lanka's preparations for the upcoming World Cup," the board release said.

With slingy pacers such as Matheesha Pathirana and Nuwan Thushara named in Sri Lanka’s preliminary squad for the T20 World Cup, Malinga’s guidance will come in handy for the team.

Malinga, who has more than 500 wickets in his international career, led Sri Lanka to their only T20 World Cup title in 2014 in Bangladesh. He has been a part of the Mumbai Indians backroom staff as well.

Malinga was part of Sri Lanka's teams that reached the finals of the ODI World Cup in 2007 and 2011. In T20Is, he was part of the team that finished runners-up in 2009 and 2012, while lifting the title in 2014 after defeating India in Mirpur.

In 2026, Sri Lanka are set to co-host their first men's multi-team event tournament since 2012, The matches will be played across three venue in the island nation: Khettarama and SSC in Colombo, and Pallekele.

The T20 World Cup will be played from February 7 to March 8. Sri Lanka are slotted in Grpup B along with Australia, Ireland, Oman and Zimbabwe.

Sri Lanka's fixtures in T20 World Cup 2026

Sri Lanka vs Ireland, Group B match on February 8 at Colombo

Sri Lanka vs Oman, Group B match on February 12 at Pallekele

Sri Lanka vs Australia, Group B match on February 16 at Pallekele

Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe, Group B match on February 19 at Colombo