Shashikala Siriwardene Aims to Build Strong Culture for Young Players as New Coach

New Delhi, October 28 (Daily Kiran) : Shashikala Siriwardene, a former captain of the Sri Lanka women’s cricket team, is stepping into a new role as a full-time coach at the Plenty Valley Cricket Club in Victoria. After representing her country on the international stage for nearly two decades, she is now dedicated to nurturing the next generation of female cricketers in Melbourne’s northern suburbs.

This season marks Siriwardene’s first commitment solely to coaching, following her dual role as captain and coach last year. “I am the coach of the women’s teams at Plenty Valley Cricket Club. This is my first year purely as a coach. Last year, I was the captain-coach, so this is my first season not playing,” she shared with Cricket.com.au.

Siriwardene’s achievements extend beyond her captaincy. She is the only Sri Lankan woman to have scored over 1,000 runs and taken at least 100 wickets in One Day Internationals. She concluded her ODI career with 2,029 runs and 124 wickets.

Her international journey began in 2003, a time when women’s cricket in Sri Lanka was not under the direct control of the Sri Lanka Cricket Board. Over the years, she has witnessed the sport evolve into a more organized and professional environment. “When I started, there were about six clubs with perhaps 200 to 400 players. Since then, we have seen significant growth. New structures and systems are now in place to advance cricket and keep retired players engaged in various ways,” she explained.

Siriwardene played her last international match during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Melbourne in 2020. Rather than stepping away from the sport, she sought coaching opportunities post-retirement. She completed her Level 2 coaching qualification and gained experience working with Sri Lanka’s Under-19 women’s team before the inaugural Under-19 Women’s World Cup.

“I started my Level 2 coaching after retiring because I wanted to get more deeply involved in this field. I had a wonderful time working with the Sri Lanka Under-19 team, and I wanted to enhance my experience, which led me to Australia to further my coaching career,” she said.

Australia provided her with a fresh perspective on the game. She joined the Wynnum-Manly club in Brisbane as a player and assistant coach, which helped her understand the Australian club cricket structure and establish her identity in coaching.

“When I came here, I thought I should understand this new environment from scratch. This meant experiencing cricket as a player in Australia. I really enjoyed it. I realized that cricket is still alive within me. Moving to a new country, away from my family in Sri Lanka, was challenging, but cricket helped a lot. The competition here is quite intense and very enjoyable,” she reflected.

During her time in Australia, Siriwardene joined the Box Hill Cricket Club in 2024. A year later, she became captain-coach at Plenty Valley but has opted not to play this current season. Her primary focus at Plenty Valley is to balance competitive goals with the long-term development of young players.

“Our club has many young players, so my focus is on their development alongside achieving results. We want to play to win, but our goal is also to prepare our young players and create a strong culture for them,” she stated.

Siriwardene’s decision to embrace coaching reflects a significant shift in women’s cricket, where former international players are now taking on roles that allow them to contribute to the sport even after their playing careers. Notable figures like Australia’s Shelley Nitschke and England’s Charlotte Edwards are leading their national teams, while former England wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor has begun coaching in men’s cricket.