Rumesh Ratnayake appointed as Sri Lanka's interim coach for Zimbabwe ODI series

Sri Lanka Tuesday named fast-bowling coach Rumesh Ratnayake as interim head coach for the upcoming home ODI series against Zimbabwe.

The 58-year-old will coach the team for the series starting 16 January, Sri Lanka Cricket said.

Rumesh Ratnayake was with Sri Lanka team as fast-bowling coach. Image: Twitter/@ICC

Sri Lanka is yet to confirm a long-term replacement for Mickey Arthur, who quit as head coach last month.

Former Test captain Mahela Jayawardene — recently named consultant coach to the national team — will not be available for the Zimbabwe series as he will be in the Caribbean with Sri Lanka's Under-19 side.

The ODI series will be played at the Pallekele Stadium in the central city of Kandy on 16, 18 and 21 January.

Plans to stage three Twenty20s with Zimbabwe were shelved because of Sri Lanka's upcoming tour of Australia.

The Zimbabwe series comes on the heels of Sri Lanka's 2-0 Test series victory over the West Indies.

That tour was the last overseen by Arthur, who left last month to coach English county side Derbyshire.

Sri Lanka's five-match T20 tour of Australia is slated for 11-20 February.

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