After appointing former Australian speedster Shaun Tait as bowing coach the Afghanistan cricket Board made another shot in the arm announcement appointing former Sri Lankan batter Avishka Gunawardene as the national team’s batting coach ahead of the al important T20 World Cup, which will take place in UAE and Oman later this year.
The announcement was made by the board via its official Twitter handle. “Former @OfficialSLC batsman and coach, Avishka Gunawardene has been appointed as Afghanistan National Team's batting coach,’ it tweeted on Tuesday, August 17.
Gunawardene, who was recently cleared of corruption charges, which were levelled against him for being involved in alleged corrupt practices during the T10 League of 2017, played 66 ODIs and six Tests for the island nation. He debuted for Sri Lanka in 1998 and played his last match in 2006.
The 44-year-old has had decent coaching experience being the head coach of Sri Lanka A side and batting coach of the senior Sri Lankan Men’s team in the recent past. Gunawardene was also part of the now-defunct and first-ever franchise cricket league in the world the Indian Cricket League (ICL).
The first challenge for the new coach would be Afghanistan’s limited over series against Pakistan in Sri Lanka in September.