Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu has no immediate plans to step away from international cricket, with new head coach Jamie Siddons confirming the veteran all-rounder remains fully committed to the team’s future. Now in her 16th year at the international level, the 36-year-old continues to be the cornerstone of Sri Lanka’s lineup, both as a leader and a match-winner.
Athapaththu’s long-term future has been the subject of speculation, particularly following the 2025 ODI World Cup, but Siddons’ recent comments suggest she could remain a central figure well into the next T20 cycle. The coach revealed that conversations with the skipper have been encouraging, pointing to both her motivation and physical readiness to continue competing at the highest level. “Chamari, I’ve had a great chat with her. She is keen to play for a lot longer than one or two more years,” Siddons said.
Her continued presence is a significant boost for Sri Lanka as they prepare for a crucial period, including the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup in England. Athapaththu has shown no signs of slowing down, recently leading the side to ODI and T20I series victories over the West Indies while maintaining strong individual form. According to Siddons, her performances in the lead-up to the tournament have reinforced the belief that she remains one of the game’s most impactful players.
“In the last two practice matches, she’s dominated the games. She can keep going for a lot longer,” Siddons added.
While Athapaththu remains the focal point, Siddons is equally focused on building a sustainable future for Sri Lankan cricket. He sees her experience as a crucial asset in nurturing younger players, allowing the team to evolve without the immediate pressure of replacing a senior leader.
At the same time, Siddons has made it clear that a shift in mindset is essential if Sri Lanka are to compete with the world’s best. In his first major address since taking over in March, he outlined a more aggressive and proactive approach, particularly in the batting department.
“We win in singles and twos, but we don’t score more boundaries than the opposition, and that’s why we lose against the best teams,” Siddons said. That philosophy represents a departure from Sri Lanka’s traditionally conservative style. Siddons believes modern T20 cricket demands a greater emphasis on power-hitting and intent, especially in the middle overs where games are often decided.
That shift is not limited to batting alone. Siddons has also outlined the need for greater innovation and variation in the bowling attack, stressing that modern T20 cricket demands adaptability and skill to counter increasingly aggressive batters.
“I think from the bowling perspective, we need to have some tricks. We can’t just turn up and bowl off spin, we need to have some different types of balls that we can bowl. Every fast bowler needs to have several slower balls so they can show those tricks, so the batters can’t just line us up. The best teams in the world hit a lot of boundaries, we need to minimise those boundaries.”
Looking ahead, Sri Lanka face a challenging schedule, beginning with a tour of Bangladesh before heading into a tough T20 World Cup campaign that includes matches against England, New Zealand and West Indies. Conditions in England are expected to favour high-scoring games, making Siddons’ emphasis on boundary scoring and tactical flexibility even more critical.
(Quotes sourced from ESPN Cricinfo)
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