Jamie Siddons, appointed as head coach of the Sri Lanka women’s cricket team, has urged his players to sharpen their skill sets if they want to close the gap with the leading sides in the format. Speaking on Tuesday, he pointed to India, Australia and England as benchmarks and said Sri Lanka must improve their execution ahead of major tournaments.
Sri Lanka are scheduled to meet England, New Zealand and the West Indies in the Women’s T20 World Cup later this year. Siddons said the focus should be on developing more complete batting and match skills, while also balancing aggression with discipline.
Quick facts
- Jamie Siddons was named head coach of the Sri Lanka women’s team.
- Sri Lanka’s Women’s T20 World Cup opponents include England, New Zealand and the West Indies.
- Siddons wants improvement in skills, hitting power and boundary-making without reckless play.
- His coaching debut with a women’s side is his first role in that category.
- His first assignment is Sri Lanka’s tour of Bangladesh beginning April 20.
- The Bangladesh trip includes a three-match T20 and ODI series.
- Sri Lanka won just one match across their last two women’s World Cups.
- Siddons identified India, Australia, New Zealand and England as the current top teams.
- Sri Lanka will play their first World Cup match against England in June at England’s home conditions.
- Siddons replaced Ramesh Ratnayake, who led Sri Lanka to the 2024 Asia Cup title by beating India.
Siddons’ message to the group was direct: he believes the team needs to keep building its technical range, strike the ball more firmly, and produce more boundaries without losing control. He delivered the remarks to reporters, framing the changes as part of a broader push toward better competitiveness.
This is Siddons’ first coaching stint with a women’s team. In the past, he worked with men’s sides and coached Bangladesh from 2007 to 2011, adding experience from the longer demands of international cricket.
World Cup focus and past struggles
Before coaching, Siddons also had a playing career that included a single ODI appearance for Australia in 1988 against Pakistan. Now, as he settles into the Sri Lanka role, he said the immediate priority is to build a clear style of play during upcoming fixtures.
His first major assignment will be Sri Lanka’s tour of Bangladesh, starting April 20. Siddons said the tour—featuring a three-match T20 and ODI series—will be the setting where the team looks to define and test its approach.
He also referenced Sri Lanka’s recent World Cup record, noting that the side struggled in their last two women’s editions and managed only one win across those campaigns. For Siddons, that history is a marker of what needs to change, with performances needing to rise when the tournament starts.
Looking at the current hierarchy, he named India, Australia, New Zealand and England as the top teams at present. Sri Lanka, he said, will aim to challenge England in their opening match of the World Cup in June, with that encounter set to happen on England’s home ground and in home conditions.
“We are focusing on the first game against England, on their home ground and home soil,” Siddons said, underlining how he sees the early match as a key opportunity to set the tone for the campaign.
Siddons takes over from Ramesh Ratnayake, who previously guided Sri Lanka to the 2024 Asia Cup title. Ratnayake’s success came with a victory over India, and the transition now hands Sri Lanka a new direction as they prepare for the next phase of women’s international cricket.
