Former Sri Lanka captain begins a new chapter, focusing on developing the next generation of women cricketers
Former Sri Lanka women’s cricket captain Shashikala Siriwardene has embarked on a new chapter in her cricketing career after taking over as the Women’s Head Coach of Plenty Valley Cricket Club in Victoria, Australia, for the 2026–27 season.
The appointment marks a significant step in Siriwardene’s transition from international cricket to full-time coaching, as the former Sri Lankan all-rounder turns her attention towards nurturing young talent and strengthening women’s cricket at club level.
According to a report published by Cricket Australia on Wednesday, October 28, Siriwardene is entering her first season dedicated entirely to coaching after serving as a captain-coach at Plenty Valley during the previous season.
“I’m at Plenty Valley Cricket Club in Victoria as the coach of the women’s teams. It is my first year purely as a coach. I was a captain-coach last year, so this is my first season not playing,” Siriwardene told Cricket Australia.
Her appointment represents another milestone for one of Sri Lanka’s most accomplished women cricketers, whose international career spanned 17 years, from 2003 to 2020.
From national captain to coach
Siriwardene’s journey into coaching followed her retirement from international cricket. Determined to remain connected with the game, she completed her Level 2 coaching qualification and gained experience working with Sri Lanka’s Under-19 women’s team ahead of the inaugural ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup.
She subsequently moved to Australia to broaden her coaching experience, initially joining Wynnum-Manly in Brisbane as a player and assistant coach.
In 2024, she joined Melbourne-based Box Hill Cricket Club as a Women’s Senior Assistant Coach and player. She moved to Plenty Valley in 2025, taking on the dual responsibilities of captain and coach before making the transition to a full-time coaching role for the current season.
Based in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, Plenty Valley competes in Victoria’s Premier Cricket structure. Siriwardene’s appointment is expected to strengthen the club’s women’s programme, particularly its efforts to develop emerging players.
A champion with a wealth of experience
Siriwardene brings an impressive international record and extensive leadership experience to her new role.
She made her international debut against the West Indies in 2003 and went on to represent Sri Lanka in a career spanning nearly two decades. During that period, she became a key figure in the national team and captained Sri Lanka in major international competitions.
She remains the only Sri Lankan woman cricketer to have scored more than 1,000 runs and taken at least 100 wickets in women’s One-Day Internationals. She finished her ODI career with 2,029 runs and 124 wickets, underlining her value as a genuine all-rounder.
Siriwardene also became the first Sri Lankan woman to reach 100 ODI appearances during the 2017 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup. In T20 internationals, she established herself as Sri Lanka’s leading wicket-taker, finishing with 77 wickets.
Her final international appearance came at the 2020 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia, where she signed off with a memorable performance against Bangladesh, taking four wickets for 16 runs.
Building the next generation
For Siriwardene, coaching is an opportunity to give back to the sport that shaped her career and help young players benefit from the lessons she learned at the highest level.
With Plenty Valley placing emphasis on both performance and player development, she is determined to help establish a strong culture within the women’s programme.
“We have a lot of young players at our club, so for me it has been focusing on development, but also on results,” she told Cricket Australia.
“We are wanting to play to win but also develop our young players and really create a strong culture for these girls.”
Siriwardene also hopes to continue advancing her coaching career, with aspirations of eventually working at state level in Australia or coaching the Sri Lankan national team.
Her move into full-time coaching reflects the growing opportunities available to former international women cricketers to remain involved in the game and pass on their knowledge to emerging generations.
For Sri Lankan cricket, her new role is another opportunity for a former national leader to contribute to women’s cricket beyond her playing days, carrying the experience of a distinguished international career into the next generation of the sport.
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